Fueling the Fire
by Mrs. HopeEstheim
Summary: In which Natsu is framed and Lucy is determined to prove his innocence. - NaLu. T for language and future violence.
1. Prelude to Disaster

**So…while pondering exactly how I want to end **_**Until She's Home Again**_**, I decided to type up the first chapter of my next idea and see how it goes over. (And by the way, for USHA fans, I've got the last chapter almost done).**

**The actual 'framing' part from the summary won't come in until a bit later. Just warning you.**

**Anyway, not that I need to say it, but I do not own **_**Fairy Tail**_** or any of the marvelous characters; I simply borrow the characters and Fiore for my own personal amusement and sometimes for yours. I also borrowed Demon Card from **_**Rave Master. **_**The honor of ownership belongs to Hiro Mashima, so support the mangaka and actually read the manga and/or buy it. I know I'm going to purchase all of the volumes someday.**

**And now, enter if you dare: **_**Fueling the Fire**_**.**

* * *

It was clear to see. Everyone in Fairy Tail was on edge, and everyone knew that there was something ominous brewing, even if no one knew just what that ominous something was. It left a sense of utmost foreboding upon them all, hanging like a stifling black storm cloud on a midsummer's day or a swirling maelstrom preceding a violent tropical storm. Sitting with Levy McGarden at the bar, Lucy Heartfilia was brooding on the exact same subject. The two girls had just come to the joint conclusion that the unease filtering throughout their usually carefree guild was to be blamed on a newly discovered dark guild called Demon Card.

After all, the two friends had reasoned out, numerous Fairy Tail members had been either attacked or threatened or even both by this fearless and yet cowardly guild. The attackers had yet to show their faces, though they always left a trademark card behind. The threats were almost anonymous, were it not for the aforementioned identical cards that were left on each occasion. The thoughts were driving Lucy absolutely mad because she hated nothing more than people threatening or hurting her nakama.

"It just doesn't make any sense at all," Levy grumbled, flipping through the most recent listing of dark guilds. "This group stays under the radar for who knows _how_ long and then they suddenly come out with a _bang_ by threatening our guild? What do they gain from all of this, in the end?"

Lucy thought about it for a few moments, mulling a few ideas over in her head.

"Maybe they just want to say that they could scare the infamous Fairy Tail," the blonde supplied, not completely sure of herself. "There _are_ a lot of guilds that would love to do the same to us. Or they could just want to steal our unofficial title of the most famously infamous mage guild. But really…do people like that _need_ a legitimate reason for doing such stupid things? It's just in their nature."

Lucy was trying to make light of the topic, but it was hard. The gloominess surrounding her only made it worse.

"No, I don't guess they need a reason," the blue-haired girl began to mull over her friend's perspective in her mind. Lucy could tell instantly that the other girl was considering each new angle extensively. In the meantime, the blonde let her chocolate brown eyes stray around the rather subdued guild. Her eyes found her best guy friend in the entire world, Natsu, and noted that even he, for the time being, was too worried and uneasy to start a fight with the oddly almost fully clothed ice mage seated next to him.

Laxus strode in just then, sporting a bleeding cut on his cheek that made everyone freeze in whatever they were doing. It was exceedingly strange to see the blonde man hurt in any way unless they remembered back to when he'd been beaten by Natsu and Gajeel prior to being excommunicated—he had since been reinstated, of course, for attempting to save them all on Tenrou Island in that fiasco. But since those days, no one had seen any damage on him and so the blood on his face was a shock.

Noticing all their eyes on him, he stopped walking. His voice carried throughout the silent guild.

"Those Demon Card bastards are getting cocky. Watch your backs."

A warning like that from Laxus Dreyar was not to be ignored; it was rare that he even offered such cautionary words in the first place. He was a distant sort of person, but the fact that he was even contributing advice like that was proof that he cared deeply for every one of his guild members. As she watched Laxus and his tight facial expressions, she spotted Natsu's shoulders stiffening. She knew it was because of Laxus's warning and knew that Natsu was thinking that if Laxus found it difficult, it was a danger to the guild. Natsu relaxed his muscles quickly, though, to assume an air of calmness and to keep his game face on.

Even from a distance, the celestial mage was not fooled. She could tell that Natsu was even more worried than before. The ease with which she read him came from being so close to him, and so it was easy for her to judge his thoughts; they were the very best of friends.

"Did Laxus…?"

"Yeah, he did," Lucy answered Levy's unfinished question and the two girls fell into a lengthy silence. Levy once more pored over a large tome, putting aside the dark guild registry. Her delicate brows were furrowed in concentration as she tried to absorb more knowledge. Lucy didn't know what her blue-haired friend was searching for now, but she didn't interrupt Levy's research. Instead, the celestial mage allowed her eyes to scan the rest of the guild.

Mirajane was impulsively wiping the bar down, but her heart was clearly not in it. The white-haired barmaid's eyes were unfocused, and it was obvious that she was lost deep within her thoughts. It was never a good sign when even Mira couldn't bring a cheerful smile to her face. Similarly, Lisanna sat next to Bixlow. Both of them wore serious expressions as they conversed in low tones. The seith mage's dolls didn't even repeat anything their master had said—perhaps they understood the gravity of the situation? Lucy's eyes sought the last of the white-haired siblings and found him staring blankly at the shelves of liquor behind the bar. It was harder to discern what he was thinking than it was to understand his sisters, but his uncharacteristic silence spoke volumes. He was unsurprisingly sitting next to Evergreen, who seemed to hang around him a lot more often since the botched S-class exams and the tournament. She had her hand placed comfortingly on the big man's even bigger arm, but she was just as out of it as he was. After realizing that she'd examined all the white-haired siblings and two of the Raijinshuu, Lucy's chocolate eyes began to search for the third Raijinshuu member. Fried Justine could be found, oddly enough, doing Mira's job as she was rather indisposed. She was too out of it to notice anything else let alone serve beer or drinks to her peers. As the green-haired man passed the cover girl, he gently laid his hand on her shoulder and she spared him a brief and distracted nod. Lucy knew it was a comfort that the woman, as well as everyone else, needed right now.

Next, her eyes found the table where Wakaba and Macao sat with mugs of beer in front of them. Their age made their worry more apparent than ever before. At the same table sat the Father-Daughter team of Gildartz and Cana. Gildartz had one large, deadly fist atop the table, knuckles white and brow furrowed. Cana was laying out her cards, regular sized beer bottles littering the area around her rather than the usual barrels. Lucy knew Cana, and she knew that the little crease between the brunette's eyebrows meant that she was troubled by the problems at hand. The card mage looked up as though she felt Lucy's eyes on her and nodded in acknowledgement before immediately returning to her cards. Her father and other companions spared a glance in the blonde's general direction after seeing Cana look up.

Nab and several others, like Warren and Max, were scattered at the usual spots, all subdued and in either hushed conversations or brooding silences. Laki was making the wood table that she shared with Mickey undulate and contort oddly, her eyes narrowed in concentration.

Lucy took a breath, casting a quick glance at Levy to find her still reading whatever monstrous book she thought might help them. It briefly crossed Lucy's mind that she didn't have the gale force reading glasses, which would have made things quicker, but she knew that absorbing all the knowledge they could was more important than speed right now. As if feeling eyes on her, the blue-haired girl looked up at Lucy as she turned the page, distractedly acknowledged her blonde friend, and then returned to reading promptly afterwards. Lucy watched her bookworm friend for a few moments longer, wondering just how badly the other girl was affected by everything that was happening, before sliding back to observe her fellow guild members once more.

Her brown eyes then crossed the gloomy guild to a shadowed corner where Pantherlily was clearly visible and Lucy tried to make sense of his expression. As the intelligent Exceed he was, Lily was likely trying to puzzle out Demon Card's logic and motive. The slight scowl on his features proved that he wasn't having too much luck with that. Half hidden in the shadows behind his Exceed partner and definitely appearing intimidating sat Gajeel Redfox. He leaned against the wall in his carefree manner, but for the first time Lucy was shocked to realize that the normally imperturbable dragonslayer was worried. The rigidity in his stance was more than enough proof of this fact, as well as the bouncing of his foot.

Back at Natsu's table, Wendy was staring at her clasped hands, unsure of what to do while Romeo sat beside her, his arm protectively wrapped around her thin shoulders. Gray's unease was apparent because he was still almost fully clothed, which absolutely never happened when there was nothing wrong. Erza's strawberry cake sat in front of her more out of habit than hunger. As a friend of the redhead's, Lucy knew that she was trying to work everything out in the solitude of her mind, just like everyone else. And still Natsu wasn't as loud or as obnoxious as he would have been under normal circumstances. He wasn't trying to pick a fight with Gray, Erza, Gajeel, or even Laxus or Gildartz. And what was more; his brow was furrowed in thought and frustration, his dark eyes boring holes into the table he stared at. Happy was sitting quietly by Charle atop the very same table, neither one willing to utter any sound to break the silence. The blonde wished there was something she could do about all of this—the silence permeating the air, so thick it was almost tangible, and the feeling of _defeat_ that seemed to surround them all. It just wasn't like them.

Lucy had to grudgingly admit to herself that at the moment, Fairy Tail just wasn't acting like Fairy Tail at all.

Movement in the guild was minimal, as though everyone was afraid of drawing attention to themselves, but Lucy really couldn't take it much longer. The scrape of her barstool drew several eyes, though not those of her best friend. But it didn't matter because she would get Natsu's attention for herself in a matter of seconds.

Gray's eyes followed her uncomprehendingly, as well as the eyes of Erza, Mira, Levy, and many other members of the guild. The celestial mage put on her brave façade, however, and ignored whatever looks were thrown at her. She was a member of Fairy Tail, and as such she couldn't stand it when her precious family didn't act like they usually did.

The silence was suffocating…so suffocating that she'd decided to break it.

"Natsu," she said determinedly, not bothering to keep her voice down. As he slowly turned his head to look at her, he had to utilize those quick reflexes he was blessed with in order to dodge her fist.

"What the hell, Luce?!" he jumped up, eyeing her like she was some sort of homicidal maniac. The drastic change in how she usually acted had probably caught him completely off guard, since she usually avoided the brawls at all costs. In fact, at her attack, Gray had also scooted away rather quickly, the same confused expression on his features.

"Fight me," Lucy demanded, hands on her hips. "You always ask if I want to join in! You just always neglected the fact that maybe I wanted to _start_ it all."

"What are you going on about?!" The fire dragonslayer was frowning at her. As she thought, her request seemed entirely out of place.

"I'm talking about a fight," she said simply. "You and me. Outside, if you want."

"It's not manly to hit a woman," came the unmistakable voice of Elfman Strauss.

"It's not manly to get your ass kicked by a girl, either!" Lucy cried defiantly as she lunged at Natsu again. "C'mon, Natsu! Hand-to-hand, even! No magic allowed!"

"I'm not gonna hit you, Luce!"

Or so he said when her punch landed squarely on his jaw. He involuntarily cried out and rubbed his already bruising jaw, scowling. The blonde did her best to hide the fact that hitting him really _hurt_. It didn't just hurt physically, either.

Yes, Lucy knew she was being rash and foolish, but the brooding aura was slowly fading as the silence in the room did, which was a good thing for the overall sanity of the guild. And of course her fists were already throbbing because she was never the physical sort of fighter anyway, but she wouldn't let the others see that. She'd gotten better since the island, so they didn't need worry for her on top of everything else going through their minds.

"Natsu," Lucy returned her hands to her hips, "You always ask me to join in…but now you won't even fight me?"

"Just because I'm the one that asks you to join in doesn't mean that _I'll_ be the one to hit you," was his almost grumpy but matter-of-fact statement. The reply made her ears feel a little warm, but Lucy kept calm.

"Okay. Fine. Who _isn't_ too chicken to fight me?!" the blonde asked the guild at large, rather loudly and verging on shrilly. Her demanding tone was sharp and dared them to refuse her.

"Lucy, are you sure you want to do this…?" Gray asked, raising an eyebrow. The blonde's pride was injured, that was for sure. Didn't they think she could handle herself?

"If Lucy feels like she has to fight, then Juvia shall be her opponent," was the almost timid suggestion. Leave it to Juvia, who had, at times, wanted to kill Lucy in the past. But whatever the case was, the blonde was extremely happy that someone had volunteered to accompany her.

"Shall we stay inside or go outside, then?" Lucy smiled, and it felt a bit more roguish than her usual grin. Perhaps Natsu's old cheerfulness and mischievousness had rubbed off on her, as improbable as it seemed.

"Juvia thinks we'd cause less damage outside," the former Element Four member suggested, a finger twisting in her pretty blue locks uncertainly.

"Outside it is," Lucy agreed, already almost to the door. "Feel free to join in!"

The last was directed to the entire guild and almost everyone rushed out to see what was going to happen between the two mages. Those he stayed behind were Master Makarov, Mirajane, Levy, and Cana. The brunette card mage, however, left as soon as she'd filched three more beer bottles from the bar, waving as she exited the building.

"What is Lu-chan thinking?!" Levy fretted incredulously, her eyes drawn to the door with worry for her blonde friend.

"I don't know…" Mira trailed off, concern apparent in her voice as well.

"Isn't it obvious?" asked Laxus as he descended from the second level, a small bandage on his cheek. At their slightly confused gazes, he turned his eyes to the door and continued, "She's trying to distract everyone from their moping around and you've gotta hand it to her; her plan's working. None of you were even thinking about Demon Card after she went and attacked Natsu, were you?"

Mirajane let her mouth open in a soft "oh!" of surprise and Levy just gasped, eyes widening at the revelation.

"That's right," Master Makarov agreed with a wry grin, and both girls turned their attention to him as the blonde male walked out through the same door as everyone else. "Lucy doesn't want anyone to hurt anymore, can't you see? She's always been like that, I think. She'll try to handle things on her own, even when she doesn't have to. Who knows how much weight that child carries on her shoulders?"

Levy and Mira quickly followed the path of their guildmates after that, waiting to see how Juvia and Lucy fared against each other.

Lucy and Juvia were already facing each other across a ring formed by the Fairy Tail members. Giving Juvia a smirk that seemed entirely uncharacteristic, Lucy cracked her knuckles. Happy looked over to Charle and, in earshot of several of others, asked timidly, "Lucy's acting like the Edolas Lucy, isn't she?"

The white Exceed looked at Happy and deigned to reply with just a curt nod of agreement.

To Lucy, however, it didn't matter whether she won or whether Juvia won or even whether some random guild member who just jumped in would win. What mattered the most to the blonde woman was that they made everyone temporarily forget their troubles. She wanted Mira to stop staring off into space as though she didn't know where she was or what she was doing, and she wanted Cana to drink barrel after barrel of beer like normal, and she wanted Fried to stop serving drinks with such a glum expression on his features. As odd as it seemed, she wanted Erza to be protective of her cake and she wanted Gray to be virtually naked and freaking out about the fact.

Perhaps most of all, Lucy wanted Natsu to be his old cheerful self again.

She wanted _her_ Natsu back.

"Go!" someone shouted from the crowd, a voice suspiciously like Wakaba's, and Juvia wasted no time in charging forward.

Lucy sidestepped the fist that was aimed at her stomach and spun straight into a kick, which the water-mage blocked by raising an arm. The blonde, in order to balance herself, fell into a backflip, standing straight just as Juvia ran at her again.

The two continued exchanging blows, with neither one really landing any major hits even though Lucy had expected Juvia to be far better than she was at hand-to-hand combat. There was always the possibility that the blue-haired woman was holding back because she, too, thought that Lucy couldn't handle herself, but she chose to ignore that. She ducked a kick from the water-mage and rose up quickly, striking Juvia in the bottom of the chin and jerking her head up.

At some point, one of them fell into the ring of onlookers—neither one would recall who it had been—and dragged a few more guild members into the fray. When Juvia was suitably distracted fighting against her beloved, Lucy sought out the sullen pink-haired man and fought her way to him. Without any regrets at all, just as he knocked out Nab with a single hit, Lucy grabbed him by the shoulder, spun him to her, and socked him right across the mouth.

Natsu spluttered incoherently, looking at Lucy as though she was a three-headed monster, and then shoved out of his way to kick the approaching Macao in the stomach. The older man reeled back from the blow, grinning.

"What was that about?" he asked, a little choked. "I was going after Lucy, not you."

Natsu grinned a fierce, toothy grin and said simply, "I know."

The two would have gone at it again had it not been for Laki being thrown into Macao then. Natsu turned to find his next victim, only for Lucy to punch him in the stomach.

"Shit, Luce, would you stop hitting me already?" He asked, reaching his hand down to rub where her fist had made contact. Lucy doubted that his abs would be hurting nearly as much as her bruising knuckles were, but she made no comment on that front. She just smirked like Lucy Ashely would have.

"If you won't fight me back, I'll just have to kick your ass," she declared.

"I'm not going to hit you, Lucy," the tone was serious, but the moment was ruined when Gray went flying into the back of Natsu's head, sending both men flying into the back of the intimidating iron dragonslayer. Gajeel turned and loomed over the others as they struggled to disentangle themselves from one another, and Lucy couldn't help but giggle.

On instinct, Lucy ducked and sure enough, Romeo went flying over her head.

"Dang it, Sis!" he roared, shaking a fist at her as he tumbled into Mickey.

Lucy decided she'd let Natsu and Gray and Gajeel and the newly joined Erza have their fun; she raised her arm to block the attack from Bisca with a grin.

"Having fun?" the gun mage asked with a huge smile.

"A little," the blonde replied, shoving the older woman back with a well-placed kick, "I think I'm starting to see why everyone in this guild likes to fight so much!"

And the fight continued, just like that. Just like the brawls of Fairy Tail always did—loud, a disturbance of the peace of Magnolia, and involving everyone in a massive free-for-all. It was friend against friend, sibling against sibling, father against son, and no one really cared much at all. It was _home_; it was _Fairy Tail_. And this had been Lucy's goal from the start.

In the confusion stemming from the massive, riotous brawl that Lucy Heartfilia had actually begun, no one noticed that one of their own had been whisked away.

* * *

**So…here's the first chapter. THIS IS SHORTER THAN I INTEND FOR MOST OF MY CHAPTERS TO BE. I expect the others to be a bit longer than this. This one was only about 3700 words, so I'm sorry. It's also completely unbeta'd, so forgive any mistakes or shortcomings. I'll do my best on my own for now, though. **

**Thanks for giving my new story a try.**


	2. Blank Pages

**So…now that you're interested and have had some time to wallow in agonizing pain of waiting to find out just **_**who got taken**_**…maybe it's time to update? I have to before I up and leave for college in a few days anyway, because I have to warn you:**

_**When I start college, updating may become a challenge. Please be patient and the reviews or messages that say **_**Please update soon!**_** Or any variation of that will NOT help your case. At all.**_

**On that note, here's the next chapter of **_**Fueling the Fire**_**.**

* * *

Lucy grunted as a fist connected solidly with her stomach, but since the magic had been broken out about fifteen minutes earlier it took only a second for Loke to step forward and send Jet flying backwards into Droy before either of them could do anything about it. A blue cat dropped on the blonde's head lazily, groaning, and she ignored him, trying her best to stay focused. It was only Happy, and he was too tired to try to mess with her right now.

Sensing something to her right, Lucy stepped back—tripping over the unconscious Elfman, who began to stir at the impact—just in time to avoid the airborne ice mage.

"Get back here, Gray!" the dragonslayer guilty of sending the dark-haired man flying roared, coming into Lucy's line of sight for the first time in a while. She could probably only see him so clearly now because most of the other guild members were sprawled on the ground, exhausted, with the rare exception of those who were unconscious like Elfman. There were even fewer guild members still at it now.

As Natsu continued to charge at Gray, Loke jumped in his path and reared his fist back, catching the salmon-haired man by surprise. With a twinge of jealousy, Lucy recognized Natsu's nonexistent hesitance when attacking the celestial spirit compared to his stalwart refusal to hit her—wait, _what_? Of course she wasn't jealous of _that_. Just the attention he gave his opponents—no, that was almost _worse_!

Inwardly the blonde was freaking out, but she climbed up from where she'd fallen on Elfman's stomach and went to intercept Gray's attack on Natsu and Loke with her whip…only to be beaten to the punch by Erza. Lucy decided right then that she was absolutely doomed because she would be entirely unable to redirect her whip in time. And true to form, it encircled the scarlet-haired mage's right arm tightly four times and Erza's brown eyes found their way to a fearful blonde. Since she'd already decided she was done for, Lucy mad a split-second decision to make the most of her inadvertent attack on the Titania and gave her whip a heave.

Miraculously, Erza Scarlet was in the air, thrown towards Gray by the celestial mage's uncannily strong pull. One of the redhead's many blades flashed up and cut a good three feet off of Lucy's whip but not before she was three feet from the shell-shocked ice-make mage. The two collided and went rolling separate directions as Lucy turned to find another opponent quickly.

_I'm gonna die_, she thought to herself, ducking as Cana followed Erza's example and flew through the air over the blonde's head. The brunette card mage landed heavily on Macao, who groaned and cringed as her momentum sent her rolling head over heels off of him. When she looked up it was to find herself at the feet of Laxus Dreyar, who just kind of smirked back.

Gray had leapt at Erza as soon as he'd regained his senses and she'd regained hers, tiredly attempting to bring the Titania down. Noticing that the person she currently feared the most was distracted, Lucy quickly sought Natsu with her eyes, realized that he was about to overpower Loke, and decided that charging Natsu was safer than charging at Laxus, Fried, Mira, Erza, or Gajeel, who were now the only ones other than herself who remained standing. Mira and Fried were fighting and somehow Laxus, Gajeel, and Erza had been pulled into a three-way battle.

Lucy sprinted towards Natsu, launching herself at him from a few feet away. The dragonslayer sensed Lucy coming at him from the side and turned to intercept the fist hurtling at his face by stopping it with one hand. He sighed almost exasperatedly and repeated for what must have been the seventeenth time in the last two hours, "I'm not going to fight you, Luce!"

The blonde let her hand fall, this time not even arguing with him.

"Fine then," she shrugged as the realization of how weary she really was finally hit her. Her shoulders and arms were aching from how many punches she'd thrown in the course of the afternoon and her legs started shaking a little. She laughed a little dryly, then said, "I'll stop trying to hit you…if you'll give me a piggyback ride."

The playful smirk she flashed at him made Natsu grin a bit more cheerfully than he had been since the entire rivalry with Demon Card had begun. Lucy was just relieved to see that kind of expression on his face, even if it had caused her to endure a few hours of absolute insanity to get it back.

"Alright, then," Natsu laughed, turning his back to her, "just don't use this chance for a dirty trick."

Fairy Tail's celestial mage placed her hands on the Salamander's shoulders to help pick herself off the ground, swinging her legs up then so that her pink-haired dragonslayer could catch them. Once that was done, she leaned her head over his shoulder and crossed her wrists over his chest, admitting matter-of-factly in his ear, "Frankly, I'm too exhausted to fight with _anyone_ right now."

Natsu squeezed the blonde's legs with a relieved sort of chuckle.

"Good. I was starting to get tired of getting beat up and not being able to fight back."

"You could've hit me back," Lucy muttered, sighing. "Everyone else would have done it. I think if Gray hadn't attacked Erza and distracted her, I might be dead…"

"You…_you_ attacked _Erza_?" the incredulous tone normally would have made her indignant, but the blonde wasn't foolhardy enough to intentionally attack the Titania, and Natsu knew it.

"Not on purpose," she mumbled. That really made Natsu start to laugh as he started to pick his way through their unconscious nakama.

The pink-haired dragonslayer and the blonde celestial mage on his back came to where Gray was groaning and picking himself up off the ground after fighting with Erza and Natsu tiredly and halfheartedly kicked his rival's foot.

"Why you…!" Gray started, turning around to glare. Lucy couldn't help but grin a little. Natsu just couldn't leave the ice mage alone, even when they were both exhausted.

"Got a problem, droopy eyes?"

"What'd you say, squinty eyes?" the almost naked man pushed himself to his feet, his voice on the verge of anger.

"Guys, not while I'm here, please?" the blonde said weakly and Gray seemed to notice her on Natsu's back for the first time. He raised an eyebrow in confusion, and she decided that she didn't know what the exhibitionist was thinking.

"A-aye!" the small voice of the blue cat still perched atop Lucy's head agreed with her and Gray lowered his fist with a groan.

"That's cheating, taking hostages," the ice mage sulked, dusting his boxers off as if it was commonplace to do so—and, Lucy supposed, it was pretty much an everyday occurrence. It must have felt natural to him.

"That's _enough_," a voice boomed suddenly and Lucy let out a frightened '_eep!_' and clung to Natsu more tightly than before as he jumped and Happy's tail twitched forcefully against the side of her head. Gray froze in place, turning slowly along with all the others still standing. Master Makarov loomed over everyone, glaring down at them intimidatingly…although when he was grinning so widely there was no denying that he was just as happy for the distraction as everyone else was.

"A-aye!" chimed Natsu, Gray, Happy, and even Lucy in unison as other guild members began to climb exhaustedly to their feet all around the still-standing victors Natsu, Lucy, Erza, and Mirajane.

"I'm sorry, Master, I allowed it to get out of hand," Erza bowed her head in shame. "I won't let it happen again."

"That's perfectly fine," Master shrank back down to his usual side, beaming. "Now, as long as everyone's fine, after clean-up the first drink is on me!"

The street erupted into cheers and the citizens who had taken refuge in their homes started to trickle out into the street once more, the relief evident on their features. Lucy spotted a little girl tugging her mother towards the mages with an awestruck gaze but then her flame-brained nakama surged forward with the rest of the guild, stampeding inside once it was obvious that there was nothing to clean up. Somehow the street had remained intact, as well as all the buildings in the vicinity. Perhaps it was a subconscious reaction to the ominous aura that had surrounded them for weeks, or perhaps it was just because they were finally becoming more cautious—which Lucy doubted—but she was kind of thankful for it. She couldn't wait to collapse into her usual seat at the bar and chat tiredly with Mira and Levy and Cana and Lisanna.

"When do I get to put you down, Lucy?" Natsu asked when they got inside, and Lucy realized the stares that were being cast in their direction. That, when she paired it with the fact that she wouldn't stop hitting him in the fight and that he staunchly refused to hit her back and that everyone had probably seen that made her suddenly understand what they were thinking. Her face began to flush and she wanted to avoid Natsu's notice.

"You can put me down here," the blonde told him quickly. "I feel a bit better now."

"Alright," Natsu let go of Lucy's legs and she swung them to the ground, her tip-toes barely touching, before dropping to her feet. She caught herself on Natsu's vest when her weak legs tried to give out on her and Natsu spun worriedly, asking, "Luce, are you okay?"

Lucy waved her hand dismissively, beaming as she released his vest, "It's nothing, Natsu! I'm fine, I promise."

The pink-haired man looked at her in disbelief as Happy slowly transferred himself to the top of Natsu's head, but she turned and made a show of flouncing energetically over to the bar where Mira and Cana were chatting as Lisanna began to tiredly serve their fellow exhausted guild mates. The blonde tried not to acknowledge the fact that her knees trembled just a little after all that ruckus earlier, and she slid onto a stool next to Cana. She had no idea that Natsu's eyes had followed her all the way, his brows furrowed in slight confusion. Why was she trying so hard to make him thing she was fine?

"C'mon, flame-brain," Gray grunted, flopping down at the nearest table. A rather ragged looking Juvia seemed to materialize out of nowhere to tentatively sit beside Wendy and Romeo on the other side of the table.

"What did you call me, ya icy bastard?" Natsu growled halfheartedly, sitting beside his rival—or best friend, really, although they didn't show it well. Happy drifted lazily down to the table beside him, lying flat on his back as Charle examined him disapprovingly.

And the hush that fell across the guild now was the normal hush. The lull in sound that always accompanied one of the massive free-for-alls that were an everyday occurrence was a much more comforting silence than the crushing weight of the depressing silence that Lucy had lifted by challenging Natsu to a fight. The celestial mage sipped idly at the random drink Mira had placed in front of her, flinching at the unexpected strength. When she looked sharply up at Mirajane, the white-haired woman smiled charmingly at her.

"Everyone drinks something strong after a fight to get their energy back. It's tradition," she explained with that same disarming smile. "Just one will work. You'll be able to walk on your own more easily."

Lucy flushed as the barmaid winked at her and protested, "It's not what you're thinking, Mira!"

"Oh?" she queried, still wearing the same grin, "Then what is it, Lucy?"

"I-it was the price he had to pay for me to stop hitting him," the blonde tried, but even her words held a questioning tone and a chuckle came from the brunette cardmage sitting beside her. The bottle of whiskey in Cana's hand made a _thunk_ against the wooden bar top as she turned to look at Lucy. After staring at the blonde for a few seconds, a huge grin broke across her face and she uttered one single word that deepened Lucy's blush.

"Denial."

"S-shut up!" Lucy turned away from the brunette, standing from her stool with her glass of whiskey in hand. She cast her eyes about the room then, and realized that the person she wanted to talk to now wasn't there. "Hey, did anyone see where Levy went?"

Jet and Droy stood up from their table and started to scan the guild, ashamed with themselves for losing sight of their beloved Shadow Gear teammate. Pantherlily's brows furrowed a little and he too began to look around the room. Lucy watched the corner with the Exceed and iron dragonslayer thoroughly, wondering if Levy was hiding out over there—since she definitely liked Gajeel, if Lucy hadn't lost her touch—but she didn't see anything. Gajeel's eyebrows then followed Lily's example, furrowing in a look of concentration. He lifted his head to sniff the air and Lucy made her way over to him.

"Is she—" Lucy began to ask if Levy was somewhere in the building, but Gajeel cut her off.

"The Bookworm's not here," he said gruffly, a frown on his face. "And she hasn't been here for a while."

"That's unusual," Mirajane said from a few feet away, her hand on her chin in thought and her eyes looking about worriedly. "Levy knows that it's not a good time for anyone to go off on their own, especially someone as small as she is. She's strong, but she is an easier target than Laxus, and you saw what they managed to do to him…"

"Levy's not stupid," Lucy murmured to herself, leaving her barely touched glass on Gajeel's table in the corner and striding out to the center of the room, intent on stepping outside to look for signs of her smart friend. "She wouldn't just wander off on her own..."

"What's wrong, Lucy?" Wendy had come up behind her and spoken in a soft, worried tone.

"She's not stupid," the blonde repeated a little more loudly, and though she was younger the blue-haired dragonslayer understood what the celestial mage was getting at. But Lucy continued a little louder as Mira, Erza, and Cana came over as well. "I know she wouldn't have gone home alone tonight—not with the warning that Laxus gave everyone earlier about Demon Card. She's not stupid enough to go _anywhere_ alone under the circumstances…and if she was going home she would have talked to me because she's been staying at my place for the last week with me, Natsu, Happy, Erza, Gray, and Juvia! And that's not mentioning that it was her idea for everyone to stick in groups…she wouldn't just wander off on her own, I tell you!"

"We know, Lucy," Erza said, placing a hand on the blonde's shoulders. The women all had thoughtful expressions on their features and Lucy couldn't stand this. The thought had just struck her.

_What if those Demon Card bastards had taken her?_

It was a rash thought but a viable one and she didn't like to think of it. Merely thinking it made her blood run cold and she clenched her fists tightly at her side, shrugging Erza's hand off to step outside like she'd been intending to do. Gajeel stood from across the room and followed, but Jet and Droy were still searching inside the guild vigorously.

Lucy was smart, but if there was some kind of rune barrier Levy would be their best bet to escape and the blonde was willing to wager an entire year's rent that Demon Card knew that. And besides that, if Levy wasn't there beside her, smiling that brilliant smile and encouraging her to write her novels, the imaginary book in Lucy's mind that was Fairy Tail was filled with hundreds of blank pages. Levy could very well be a muse much of the time, and a writer without her muse was hardly a writer at all.

"They better not have taken her," Lucy murmured under her breath as she stood in the middle of the street, scuffmarks on the ground all around her from the battle they had waged. At her words, Gajeel cast her a hard look and Mirajane gasped loudly. The same possibility hadn't occurred to the others before, and Erza clenched her fist tightly, her face tight. Wendy held a hand up to her mouth, eyes wide, and Cana had an unreadable expression on her features.

"You don't mean…?" Mira's eyes widened considerably. "Not…not Demon Card?"

"What about those bastards?" Natsu had followed the small group outside and in an instant he was by Lucy's side, looking at all the unfathomable emotions flashing through her deep chocolate eyes. "Did one of them come here?"

"Lucy…Lucy thinks that they might have taken Levy," Wendy murmured gently, her voice slightly shaking. Natsu's eyes widened and he immediately turned to scan the area for the solid script mage in question.

"We don't know for sure," Erza said firmly, striding up to Lucy. "We can't make assumptions. We just have to look harder—"

"The Bookworm ain't here," Gajeel finally spoke up, his tone dark and agitated. "Bunny Girl was right about that much. And we know she ain't stupid."

Everyone stared at the intimidating dark-haired man as he glowered down the street, sniffing the air. Natsu followed suit, furrowing his brows at the unnerving lack of Levy's scent in the air.

"Natsu!" a voice cried, and Romeo burst out of the guild, face flushed and eyes wide. Lucy didn't miss the way that Romeo seemed to want to say more but was having trouble doing so, nor did she miss the fact that he was holding something in his hand. Her heart froze as he brandished it in the air and cried, "Bro, I found this in the library!"

The blonde celestial mage stepped forward and snatched the dreaded Demon Card's trademark playing card, her hand shaking. Unlike all the previous cards, however, this one didn't have numbers on one side. There writing scrawled in a deep red across the unusually blank side.

_One down. Who will be next?_

Lucy's hand shook more violently, and she looked up into the red eyes of the man who had read the card over her shoulder. She spotted the same determination in the iron dragonslayers eyes as she felt coursing through her veins. He would help her, the blonde knew—after all, it wasn't only Levy who had feelings in their relationship, but Gajeel too. They were just dancing around the point. The impending relationship between them would make him a force to be reckoned with and a valuable ally in her quest to take Levy back from Demon Card by force.

"Gajeel…" the celestial mage said softly. She didn't have to continue because he nodded with a hard look in his eyes. Almost in unison, the two turned and Lucy shoved the card hard against Erza's breastplate as they took off down the street, running as if Death himself was on their heels.

Natsu didn't need to see the card to know that Lucy had been right. He pushed Cana aside to chase after the other two, reaching his blonde's side in a few long strides. Erza let a sort of feral growl pass her lips as she requipped into something lighter and tossed the card in the air. By the time the frantic Mirajane caught it, Erza was sprinting after Natsu, Lucy, Gajeel, Happy, and Pantherlily with a fury akin to that which she had used at the Tower of Heaven.

"Oh, no!" Mira gasped, staring at the card in her trembling fingers. Cana snatched it with ease, read it quickly, then looked at Romeo.

"Squirt," she addressed him, and he looked up at her with wide eyes, as did Wendy. Cana glanced to the dragonslayer to include her, as well. When she was sure she had their attention, she said darkly, "Go gather everyone and tell them that we're all going to Demon Card _now_ to give them a piece of our minds."

"D-Demon Card?" Romeo was confused, as he had been absent when Lucy's suspicions were revealed.

"T-then Lucy was right?" Wendy's eyes widened and Romeo looked at her in alarm. He was still confused but the way all the women were acting was really starting to worry him. He was fifteen, he wasn't completely dense; he knew something was definitely wrong. When Cana nodded in answer to Wendy's inquiry, the small blue-haired girl grabbed Romeo's hand suddenly and dragged him toward the doors. "W-we'll get everyone! Just go after the others!"

Cana nodded and grabbed Mirajane's wrist and the two were off, far behind the others already. They were all exhausted, but the fury that coursed through their veins and the loyalty for their Fairy Tail family members was enough to spur them to new heights.

Far ahead of even Erza ran Gajeel, Pantherlily right beside him, and just a few paces behind ran Lucy with Natsu keeping pace, Happy on his shoulder. He knew how much Levy meant to Lucy, and he knew that she was unaccustomed to so much activity in one day since she had just survived her first brawl, so he would stay beside her. As much as he wanted to call Happy to action, to fly to Demon Card's guild and blast it to pieces, he knew Lucy needed to be one of the first ones there or she'd never forgive herself.

Upon hearing the news from the frantic Wendy, Gray was the first one out of the doors, Juvia hard on his heels. Elfman and Lisanna weren't too far behind, the knowledge that their beloved older sister had a head start spurring them to action more quickly than some of the other guild members. Jet soon followed, Droy making his way out as quickly as his weight would allow.

The fury of Fairy Tail would be a force to be reckoned with, even more so when they all had the same idea in mind: _make Demon Card pay_.

* * *

Lucy's lungs burned fiercely, begging for air and feeling fit to burst, but she pushed her body to keep up with Gajeel. She still trailed him, but as long as he was in her sights she would be fine because it meant she would be one of the first ones to reach Levy. It didn't matter to her that Natsu was making sure to keep in step with her rather than pulling farther ahead like he was surely capable of—she hardly even noticed the pink-haired man charging along beside her. She also didn't know that his reason for sticking so diligently to her side was that he wanted to make sure she wasn't the next to disappear.

No, what mattered to the blonde celestial mage was retrieving her blue-haired friend in time and making those dark guild assholes pay for all the trouble they were causing her family. She needed to fill those blank pages with words, intricately woven tales inspired by the muse she found in the solid script mage.

Lucy would do whatever it took to get Levy back, even if she had to tear down Demon Card's hideout brick by brick and completely alone. It wasn't a personal matter—or maybe it was—but all that she could be sure of was that when someone messed with one member of the Fairy Tail family, they were messing with every single person in the guild. And sometimes, they were messing with Blue Pegasus and Lamia Scale, the extended 'family' of Fairy Tail. When the whole family was together, their enemies, whoever they might be, were utterly doomed.

What enemies of Fairy Tail might not have realized, the blonde thought vindictively, was that an enraged Fairy Tail might just rival the power of all three guilds together or even exceed it. They would be a more threatening opponent than Blue Pegasus and Lamia Scale combined.

A quick glance over her shoulder in her mad dash revealed a trail of mages that stretched as far as she could see. Every member of Fairy Tail was following she, Natsu, Happy, Gajeel, and Lily. The strength of their bonds was such a monstrous thing that it still amazed even Lucy, but she couldn't focus on anything other than saving Levy for very long at the moment.

One thought that flitted through her mind stayed a few moments longer. It felt rather nostalgic to be running in this direction because last time Lucy had been at the Demon Card guild was when the land it was on had belonged to Phantom Lord. It was yet another of those places that the blonde would surely have fallen to her death had it not been for Natsu. If he hadn't been there to save her, she wouldn't be able to save Levy.

But Levy wouldn't have to worry—if Lucy failed, the rest of Fairy Tail was there to pick up where she had left off.

It was when that thought crossed her mind that she wondered suddenly why Lily wasn't carrying Gajeel ahead of everyone else and why Happy wasn't carrying Natsu. Were they still so exhausted from the guild's recent melee that they couldn't carry their dragonslayers for very long? Whatever the case may be, Lucy decided, she didn't care. She redoubled her efforts, her lungs screaming for relief that wouldn't come. The blonde had thought she'd pushed her body to the limit before, but it was nothing compared to how all her muscles screamed in agony. It didn't matter that the adrenalin was pulsing through her because it still couldn't cover up all of the pain she felt. And, she reasoned as she briefly stumbled, this was nothing compared to how her body would feel after pummeling a few Demon Card scumbags into the ground.

For the first time, Lucy completely disregarded all caution and didn't even care for her own well-being. She was beyond fury. After all, how dare those dark guild upstarts kidnap her precious nakama right from under her nose?! There would be consequences, of that the celestial mage was certain.

Perhaps it was a good thing that Natsu understood all of this without having to be told and that he knew she felt somehow responsible. It was just how she was. He knew that well enough to refrain from even attempting to stop her, but he kept a close eye on her lest she push herself too hard for her body to handle.

To him, her health was paramount to her cause, even if he was thoroughly pissed at Demon Card, too. And so he stayed with her, picking up the pace when she did and slowing the few times she stumbled. He was basically acting as the virtually unnoticed caretaker for the blonde girl.

When the lair of Demon Card came into view, he was immensely glad that their dash was almost over. He wanted nothing more than to get a lift from Happy, but he knew that the Exceed was weak right now and also that Lucy needed him to be beside her. He had enough self-control to stay back with her, his teammate and irreplaceable friend. Sure, his fury at Demon Card was immense…but Lucy was positively livid. It would be fitting for the blonde, as Levy's dearest friend, to be one of the first to set foot on the premises of the cowards who had stolen her away. And it would be best for the pink-haired young man to stay with her to make sure she didn't do something reckless when she couldn't think clearly.

And finally, after what seemed like an eternity, they topped the hill. When previously they had just been able to see the top of the highest tower of the dark guild, now they could see the entire building. And before it, arrayed like a miniature army, were hundreds of men and women that the celestial mage assumed were members of Demon Card. Natsu, upon spotting this, cast a worried glance at Lucy but remained at her side as she followed Gajeel's descent down the hill.

"Damn you!" The blonde shrieked at the top of her lungs, reaching for a whip that was no longer there and then switching to reach for her keys, all in mid-stride.

They were going to fucking _pay_.

* * *

**OOOOOH HOLY SHIT.**

**What's happening next?**

**Sorry if there's any problems. I changed this a lot from the original version of the chapter. And I was typing rather quickly to A) get an update out before I move to college in two days and B) to get this finished and uploaded before my parents get home and start getting angry because I leave for college and two days and **_**still haven't packed a damn thing**_**.**

**So anyway. Sorry if any of my language offends you, and I hope you enjoyed! This one was about 4900 words, which was better than the first one. **

**Now you know who was taken…but what's going to happen next? What's this "framing" in the summary about? Well…that's next chapter. **

**(AGAIN: I START COLLEGE THIS WEEK. Updates may be slower and if I don't reply to your reviews, please don't be offended.)**

**Also, forgive my cursing. I've started to swear more and more lately and I don't know why but I think a lot of it is tumblr. Thank you.**


	3. The Blue Flame

**I'm sorry if the quality of this chapter has gone down a bit. Only a small portion of it is pre-written and I am trying to type it fairly quickly because I feel bad for how long you've had to wait. I know what I want to happen so it shouldn't turn out too bad and I won't post it if I think it's terrible…so there you are.**

**Thank you for being patient with me!**

**Here is chapter 3 of FtF.**

* * *

Just as Natsu had predicted, Lucy was absolutely beyond the capability of thinking rationally. A feral battle cry tore from her pink lips and with unbridled fury and reckless abandon, she surged down the slope towards the members of the dark guild. A key was in her hand and the pink-haired dragonslayer highly doubted that even she knew which one it was. Her anger had engulfed her and she was completely obsessed with making Demon Card pay for taking Levy…and doing so with her own two hands.

The blonde never noticed that the young man was less than six inches away at all times, attention carefully divided between the dark guild arrayed at the bottom of the hill before them and the celestial mage at his side. If they so much as singed a hair on her head or even a loose thread on her skirt he would tear them apart limb by limb before they could even blink. No one could hurt his Lucy and get away with it—not while he was by her side.

It was unnerving how the dark guild simply stood still at the bottom of the hill even as the remainder of Fairy Tail's strongest topped the rise. Gajeel was already nearing the first line of Demon Card members with Pantherlily right alongside him and Natsu and Lucy weren't too far behind with Happy still recovering what strength he could whilst clinging to Natsu's shoulder. Just before the main body of the guild that had just started to emerge over the top of the hill sprinted Gray, Erza, and Juvia. The leader of the next small group was Cana with Jet, Mirajane, and Lisanna at her side.

Although Jet could have been much farther ahead by that point, he had hung back with the others—he knew the importance of the others getting there sooner, even _if_ Levy was his teammate. He knew that he and Droy didn't hold the part of her heart that they had both coveted, and he knew that the leader of the pack _did_. Jet understood, so he remained at a slight distance.

Lucy's quick glance back at the others, in which she had deduced the bit about Jet, caused her to stumble and immediately focus her attention forward again. Her rage bubbled up again and she couldn't have cared less—the Demon Card members were getting closer and closer with every step she took and she'd be damned if she didn't at least pound six or seven of those assholes into the ground before they inevitably took her down, too.

And still, Natsu eyed those rapidly nearing dark guild wizards with a calculating stare, trying to figure out just what their first move would be, aside from taking Levy. After all, Gajeel would be upon them in mere seconds and they hadn't moved an inch. They showed no signs of fear.

Natsu discovered why this was just in the nick of time. The ground underneath Lucy's left foot began to buckle upwards just as Gajeel propelled himself into the air to avoid the same phenomenon. Natsu changed his footing in an instant, lunging toward his blonde nakama and lifting her off her feet as an explosion sounded from where Gajeel had been moments before. It didn't take more than a second for the mine that Lucy had stepped on to blow. With the vibrations of those two explosives permeating the ground, all the rest on the hillside began to detonate. The sound was absolutely deafening and the pink-haired man pulled the blonde tighter against his chest to protect her from any flying debris.

For the first time since the beginning of the mad dash to get to Demon Card and get Levy back, Lucy shrieked from fright, her adrenaline rush dulling at the influx of her fear, and clung to Natsu as he looked after her…like always. The reality of the situation had finally begun to sink in and the blonde celestial mage realized the near stupidity of their actions.

_Everyone_, it had just dawned on her, was completely exhausted. They had just fought against each other for hours on end and most of them had collapsed. So…what were they _thinking_, believing themselves capable of taking out what seemed to be a highly talented dark guild? Their worry for Levy had clouded their judgment and _this_ was the price they would have to pay. At the very least, she would die in this field of mines and take Natsu with her, since he was doing his utmost to keep her safe. Happy would be caught up also, as he was still kind of weak. Maybe the others would gain some sense and realize the futility of this once she and the others had died…

At least she'd be able to cling to Natsu until the end, if these were truly the last moments of her life.

But then Lucy's heartbeat slowed to normal and rational rather than hysteric thinking took root deep in her mind. The explosions had quieted, all sound now seeming muted and far away from the temporary hearing loss that was always associated with sudden loud noise, and Lucy began to comprehend what was around her. Natsu's strong arms were still present, holding her like a bride with one arm around her back and one hooked under her knees. Happy was safe between the two, completely unharmed, and the dragonslayer turned his dark eyes to the celestial mage.

"You okay, Luce?"

_Of course_ he'd ask _her_ first when he had taken the brunt of the damage. But the only inflection in his tone was worry, not pain or even despair. He was worried…for _her_.

Suddenly, Lucy was reminded of the reason why she had never doubted their chances of success in the mission to save Levy prior to her panic attack—this was _Fairy Tail_. They _could_ succeed at anything that they set their minds to and they generally _did_ succeed. Levy had absolutely nothing to worry about, because Lucy would get there in time. Natsu was apparently still raring to go, and even if he didn't show it, he knew when something was truly hopeless. He would back off if he thought this situation was going to end in disaster. And so Lucy was comforted.

"I'm fine," Lucy answered with much more conviction than she would have moments earlier. "Now put me down. We have some Demon Card ass to kick!"

She really wasn't quite as confident in her own abilities to kick ass, but she knew that everyone else around her could do plenty of ass-kicking…so she would contribute what she could. Levy wouldn't have to be alone for long because they were all on their way to save her. Erza, Gray, and Juvia had nearly caught up with Natsu and Lucy now as the duo started running side by side again.

Ahead, Lucy saw that Gajeel had already engaged in a fierce battle against four other mages. All four of his opponents seemed to be rather formidable, even from a distance, but it didn't faze the iron dragonslayer in the least. Lucy knew he must have been nearly as enraged as she herself was and she wasn't inclined to worry too much about how he would fare in that battle because Pantherlily stood back to back with him. The celestial mage watched the two fight together like a well-oiled machine for a few minutes before focusing her attention where she needed to.

The Demon Guild mages had begun to surge up the hill to meet the headlong rush of Fairy Tail.

Lucy just realized she was holding a key in her hand and with a glance she saw Virgo's sign. As she and a Demon Card mage neared each other, the celestial mage grinned, plan forming in her mind.

"Open, Gate of the Maiden! Virgo!"

"Yes, Princess?"

The spirit didn't seem at all disconcerted by the fact that she had been called out while her master was running in a dead sprint down a moderately steep hill at a group of vicious-looking mages that were charging upwards.

"Virgo…I need you to dig a hole in front of the people in front of me," Lucy said as low as she could, even though her words were broken and distorted from the way her chest was heaving and her breaths were coming in bursts. Despite that, Virgo seemed to understand. She nodded once mutely, eyeing the burly man lumbering up the hill, and disappeared into the ground.

Six feet separated Lucy from the man when the earth beneath him crumbled in. Lucy vaulted over the hole and Natsu was right beside her, landing much more easily than she did. He knew she was planning something when she gave instructions to Virgo, so he'd decided to trust her. It would save more of his strength so he could protect her later.

"Dig a trench in front of them next, Virgo!" Lucy gasped out as Virgo popped back out of the ground. The blonde gestured widely at a line of about seven mages advancing up the hill almost neck-and-neck with each other.

"Understood," the pink-haired maid promptly disappeared into the ground again. Natsu saw Lucy reaching for her keys again and wondered whether she was already going to call Loke out to help. After all, wasn't the lion spirit pretty much like her trump card?

"Open, Gate of the Golden Bull! Taurus!" Lucy swiped the new key through the air, and the pink-haired man was mildly relieved that she wasn't really calling on Loke just yet. For a few moments, he had been worried that the blonde was starting to see this battle as nearly hopeless, thus the fear that she was calling out Loke. He would be a valuable asset, yes, but he was pretty much the strongest spirit she possessed and she needed to save his power in case someone really nasty came along.

Speaking of power…how was her store of magical energy holding up? Worry once more plagued the dragonslayer as Lucy leapt the trench that six of those seven mages had fallen into. He punched the seventh hard in the stomach before he could get to the blonde and quickly caught back up with her as she ordered Taurus to just dive into the fray. She had two spirits out now after having just survived her first Fairy Tail brawl…how much more energy did she have?

"Virgo," the young man flicked his dark eyes briefly to where she'd addressed her celestial spirit, "can you get me one of those whips from the spirit world?"

"Yes, Princess," was the polite reply and within a few seconds the pink-haired woman had disappeared and reappeared with a whip in hand. "What will my punishment be today?"

"There is none," even though she was out of breath, exasperation still sounded out in Lucy's tone. "You can go back now, Virgo!"

_Poof_. Gone. Natsu wasn't sure if he could ever get used to that—especially when one of his nakama had turned out to be a celestial spirit all along and could just practically pop out of the woodwork whenever he wanted to. Like now, when Lucy had raised yet another key and cried, "Open, Gate of the Lion! Loke!"

Now Natsu wasn't too worried that she was desperate…but he still wasn't sure about calling the lion spirit out just yet.

"Juvia, behind you!" a shout from somewhere behind Natsu, Lucy, and Happy sounded, and there was the sound of splashing water. A mage with power similar to Virgo's had tunneled underground up the hill and come up behind Juvia, preparing to attack her. Jet had called a warning and sprinted forward at superhuman speed, tackling the man just as Juvia utilized her ability to turn her body to water. The two tumbled through her and bowled over one more Demon Card member before coming to a stop just shortly before the trench.

Happy relayed this news so Lucy and Natsu didn't have to turn around and Lucy nodded grimly, lashing her whip out at the person in front of her. Taurus bellowed—more of a furious moo, as usual—and knocked three men out of Lucy's path with one great swing of his axe.

"What do you want me to do, Lucy?" Loke demanded, punching a mage with force enough to send him flying against one of his comrades. Natsu decided that Loke's question was a good one because the blonde had still never given a single order to the celestial spirit beside her. Just what _was_ her purpose for calling him out if she wasn't even going to have him fighting?

"I want you to go to Gajeel and help him break in to save Levy," Lucy instructed quickly, ducking a mage's rune magic as Natsu used his wing attack on the offender. "Can you do that?"

Loke seemed surprised that she hadn't called him out to help her, but he got over it quickly and nodded. He was gone just a few moments later and that left Lucy, Natsu, Happy, and Taurus right in the midst of a teeming mass of Demon Card mages…all with ugly sneers and decent magic prowess. It didn't take very long for Erza, Gray, Juvia, Elfman, and Wendy to somehow worm their way into the group to fight with Natsu and Lucy…but it also didn't take long for them all to be separated.

In the turmoil, with worry nearly paralyzing him, Natsu realized that he had been separated from Lucy.

* * *

Ten minutes…twenty minutes…Lucy had lost Natsu. Happy clung to her neck as she valiantly protected herself and the little blue Exceed. She had long ago forced Taurus to close his gate because her magic power was depleting rather quickly with Loke out, too. Now it was just she and Happy and Wendy and Charle against the mass of Demon Card members that sought to capture them. Of course the blonde was happy that they didn't want to kill the sweet little Wendy, but she wouldn't be captured without a fight.

It was then that a loud magically enhanced whistle shrieked in the air and a magically enhanced voice accompanied it.

"By order of the Rune Knights of Fiore and the guidelines of the Magic Council in Era, this battle must cease immediately!"

The battle was suspended by that, and several Demon Card mages bolted or teleported, leaving the scene of the crime they had initiated. Half of the men surrounding Lucy, Wendy, Happy, and Charle had done so, opening a gap through which Lucy saw a whole battalion of the Rune Knights.

"Stop! Do not ru—"

The man couldn't finish the words he was speaking, for it was then that a vortex of blue flames engulfed him, spinning like a typhoon around him. A bloodcurdling shriek was emitting from the midst of the flames and when the inferno died out, he was covered in blood and burns and collapsed to the ground without another sound. Wendy gasped and started to step forward, but Charle said something against it, tugging against the girl's dress. The sky dragonslayer obeyed, looking on with wide eyes.

"Find the fire mage!" a man who appeared to be the second-in-command roared without the magical enhancement in his voice. He was loud enough without it.

"Here! Here he is! It's the Salamander!"

Lucy's heart dropped out of her chest and she pushed through the Demon Card members as she heard an indignant shout of protest from what were undoubtedly Natsu's lips. And she knew his protest was fully justified because his fire didn't do _that_ to people. He wouldn't do that.

"Good! From this moment on, we will be taking the Salamander of Fairy Tail in for questioning in the assassination attempt on our General!" the man addressed the guilds at large. "This fight will be immediately ended and you will go your separate ways. _Now_!"

"_No!_" Lucy shouted, shoving an enemy mage so hard that she stumbled to the ground as she tried desperately to make her way toward the Rune Knights. The horde of mages between her and her destination seemed endless and she wondered if she'd get there in time…and if the Rune Knights would even hear her appeal on Natsu's behalf. She somehow doubted it, but she had to try—!

After what seemed like an eternity as most of the battalion began to disperse, an advance group rushing away with the injured man, Lucy finally burst through the front of the watching mages, actually pushing Mirajane aside to do so. Gathering all the breath she could as she saw Natsu being pulled away, struggling but not looking to her, she shouted, "_Natsu!_"

He looked up, eyes meeting hers and widening as she stumbled out from the horde of mages. She sprinted towards him once she'd regained her balance, even roughly shoving aside a Rune Knight that tried to intercept her.

"Lucy!" he sounded relieved—damn him, he was worried about her _again_ when he was being dragged away by Rune Knights on a false charge?! A charge of _attempted murder_, no less?! There was something wrong with this, and she wouldn't stand for it!

The blonde was relieved that Natsu actually tugged a bit more against the Rune Knights that held him tightly between them and had clipped anti-magic cuffs to his wrists already. Lucy didn't care when one of his captors caught her hard across the stomach by just sticking his armored arm out. She merely grunted and leaned over his arm as far as she could, reaching for a fistful of the dragonslayer's vest. She succeeded in grabbing it and she wasn't sure what she was doing but she wouldn't change her mind after it had been made.

No one really knew whether to be surprised or not when Natsu seemed to have the same goal in mind as Lucy did. They both leaned toward each other, Lucy upwards and tugging down on the collar of his vest, and Natsu leaning as far as he could out of the grasp of the Rune Knights that Lucy had begun to see as her enemies for taking him away.

They met in the middle with a searing kiss that was stopped much too abruptly when three men seized Lucy and shoved her back away from Natsu and double that number went to subdue Natsu.

"No!" Natsu said, struggling. Would he fight to break free?! She found herself desperately hoping but instead what came out of his mouth was, "Please! Luce, please take my scarf!"

He couldn't take it off himself but she didn't particularly want to remove it, so she tried to tell herself that it wasn't because he thought he was doomed. She just _couldn't_ take Natsu's prized possession from him when he was going to be thrown in a cell in Era before she had enough evidence to stop them and she knew how much the scarf meant to him. It would be a comfort to him there, wouldn't it?

"I can't, Natsu!" Lucy said, valiantly struggling to stay nearer to him so they could talk.

"I don't want _them_ to take it," Natsu hissed, but not in anger. "Please, Lucy, take my scarf!"

She wasn't even close enough to do it anymore even though she wanted to with him pleading that way. She stretched her fingertips out and fell a good foot short. She could see the conflicting emotions in Natsu's eyes from this distance but she couldn't for the life of her reach his scarf no matter how she strained.

"Damn it, woman!" the guard that was mostly restraining her gave a great heave and sent her falling hard a few feet away on her hip. Lucy felt her thigh scrape up and was fairly certain that most of the Rune Knights had just received a glimpse of her bright, seafoam blue-green underwear, but at the moment she really didn't care.

"Lucy!"

Natsu wasn't the only Fairy Tail member to call her name and try to get to her. Behind her she heard someone stop Mirajane and she saw someone to the left stop Gray and Erza. Juvia, to the right, bristled angrily at the treatment these men were showing her nakama.

"Take it!" one of Natsu's retainers ripped the white-scaled scarf from the dragonslayer's neck violently, revealing the puckered scar on the side of his neck that he rarely showed. Then, with a careless flick of the wrist, the pink-haired man's prized gift from Igneel floated through the air. It was definitely out of her reach, but Lucy lunged for it anyway, unwilling to let it hit the ground.

She could admit that she thought she was in love with Natsu—she was pretty damn sure of it—so anything precious to him was precious to her. If she was capable of protecting anything dear to him, even if it meant making sure his scarf didn't hit the ground, she would do it. And so she was relieved when the soft material dropped into her hands. She held the fabric up, hugging it closely to her bosom. The heat that remained from his abnormally warm skin made her spine tingle and his scent wafted to her nose. The woody, earthy, _smoky_ smell she'd always associated with him seemed almost permanently imprinted into the scarf…and she didn't care. She loved it—it was so _him_.

"I'll give it back to you when I prove you're innocent!" She called, pushing herself to her feet more fully, still clutching the white cloth in her hand. "Until then, I'll keep it safe for you. Alright, Natsu?!"

His little roguish grin crossed his face even though he was in handcuffs and he raised his voice slightly in order to answer her. "I'll be looking forward to it, Luce!"

And Natsu slowly disappeared from her sight with the second group of Rune Knights that had left—the first had been those bearing their injured General ahead in the search for medical attention. They had obviously not seen the feature on healing mages in the last Sorcerer Weekly—Wendy had been the number one mage in their spread covering the top five from all the official guilds. They could have asked her to come along and perform preliminary treatment on the way…but then again, Lucy realized, they could mistrust her because they were accusing Natsu of harming him in the first place.

"Disperse immediately!" the man barking orders had remained behind and was striding toward Lucy, glowering all around him. He was one of those people that looked like he had a problem everyone and everything in the entire world—the type that you could never please. "Do you understand?"

"Sir," Lucy decided since she was there, she would speak.

"What is it?" he growled, glaring at her for daring to speak in his presence when she had just been subjected to his order to disperse.

"Sir, this is a dark guild that took one of our members hostage. If we can't do anything to get her back because of _your_ interference, why don't you help us get her back?"

His cheeks grew splotchy and red from anger and indignation and he puffed out his chest as if he was actually important—which, Lucy amended, he probably was her best hope to save Levy right now and she'd just ruined it. She had already realized that Gajeel and Loke had been unable to even make it in the building and now Rune Knights were guarding the entrances as the Demon Card members filed back in.

"You are insulting me, miss, and I do not appreciate it."

Of _course_ he doesn't. Pompous fool.

"I promise you, Sir, I meant no disrespect," but really, she meant _all_ the disrespect, "I just wanted assistance in getting our nakama back."

"Fairy Tail cannot be trusted, men!" he projected his voice so that all the remaining Rune Knights could hear it. "First their Salamander attempts to murder the General, and now they claim that this guild is a dark guild and has wronged them in some way. Do not trust them! Fairy Tail, disperse immediately! I shall have the council notified of your untrustworthiness and let them deal with you."

"Hey—" the blonde began, but the man's bellow cut her off.

"_Be gone_!"

Rage. That was all that Lucy Heartfilia felt when facing this man. He didn't believe her when she was telling the truth, and he had the gall to insult her family—the only one she had left. She was beyond rage, beyond fury.

"Come on, Lucy," a gentle hand pressed gently on her elbow, and the blonde looked up at the calming blue eyes of Mirajane. "Come on, we'll figure something out after we get back to the guild. We won't let them keep her here, even if we have to defy the council. We've done it before, and we'll undoubtedly do it again."

Her voice was soft and the man in charge had gone to give orders to three more men—in fact, they were the three that had pulled Lucy away from Natsu. And even though she was positively livid, Lucy could comprehend the sense in Mira's words. And already, a plot was forming in her mind. She would just need Gajeel's excellent nose and his cooperation…Happy and Pantherlily as well…yes. The plan was mostly formed in her mind in just a few seconds.

"All right," the blonde said rather grudgingly as she spotted Jet, Droy, and Wendy coaxing Gajeel to come back to the guild with the others. The mages of Fairy Tail were gathering at the bottom of the hill and reluctantly, Lucy and Gajeel began to move toward them. Lucy did her best to catch the dragonslayer's eye—he'd been staring at the ground with utmost concentration, but when he finally felt eyes on him and looked up, Lucy nodded shortly to him. He looked at her for a moment, then nodded back.

They would talk…and they _would_ get Levy back, in the process gaining evidence to prove Natsu's innocence.

All they needed, Lucy deduced, was a little bit of bait.

* * *

**So…here's the next chapter. I should be doing homework right now but I really wanted to get this out for you guys so here it is. I hope it's not too bad, and if there are any typos or anything I will do my best to correct them when I have time.**

**College…is more hectic right now than I had originally anticipated so please forgive my lateness. Love you guys for reading! Thank you so much!**


	4. The 'Real' Plan

**Gosh, I'm sorry. **

**I've got two words to attempt to excuse my massive update fail: **_**college student**_**.**

**On the up side, this is a new update…finally…so I hope it flows well and thank you, those of you who have been patient with me. I'll stop my rambling now and end this with: I don't own anything but this alternative story line. It's all the property of Hiro Mashima. And now…enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

The trek back to Fairy Tail that evening seemed like it would never end. The adrenaline that had previously been coursing through their veins had faded and now they had to stop numerous times for someone who had collapsed or for someone who had asked for a halt. Lucy felt like her heart was shattering with every step that she put between herself and the place where Levy was imprisoned…the place where Natsu had been taken from them.

The blonde celestial mage could hardly stand feeling like this. She wanted nothing more than to get back to Magnolia and pretend to be interested in everyone else's rescue and retrieval plans so that she could sneak away sooner and plot with Gajeel. She had this gut feeling that her plan was going to work—she need only be willing to risk nearly everything in the process.

"I just need some time…" she mused aloud before she realized what she had done. Lucy glanced quickly over to Mira, who was walking beside her, and watched as a puzzled expression crossed the white-haired woman's features. Mira turned to Lucy with this confused expression and the blonde quickly added, "I need time to think of a plan. There's got to be something I can do…"

Mirajane simply smiled softly, comfortingly, at the celestial mage.

"Just what I expected of you, Lucy. I'm sure you'll have a plan in mind by the time we get back!"

_I already have a plan_, Lucy wanted to tell Mirajane—really, she did!—but she just couldn't. Not now. The blonde knew that everyone would urge her to think it over more thoroughly. They'd try to make her see it as too reckless to attempt…but Gajeel and Happy and Lily would work with her, surely. Although he scarcely showed it, the red-eyed dragonslayer had a soft spot for Levy McGarden, and Happy? His help was pretty much guaranteed as soon as Natsu was taken. After all, Natsu was like a father to Happy, the only one the blue Exceed had really ever known, and the only person who had beaten Happy in calling out to the fire dragonslayer as they captured him was Lucy herself.

"Stop!"

Erza's voice commanded, breaking into Lucy's thoughts. And so for the fifth time, the entire guild came to a rest for a fatigued guild member.

"We'll take another ten minute break," Erza announced in a no-nonsense sort of way, "but then we'll be walking the rest of the way. It's not all that far, so we should be able to make it without stopping anymore."

The celestial mage knew they all needed this break, but she just wanted to keep walking. The sooner they got back to Fairy Tail, the sooner she could pretend that preparing a defense for Natsu's trial was her best and _only_ plan…which meant that she could step out to let them discuss and then talk to Gajeel and Happy. She needed _time_ but she just didn't have enough.

* * *

Ten minutes passed in a blur but the rest of the walk to Magnolia seemed to take forever in comparison to the mad dash toward Demon Card's base earlier in the evening. Eventually, though, the exhausted members of Fairy Tail found themselves back in their familiar guild hall, mulling over their own thoughts. The usually comforting interior now seemed depressing and unwelcoming, the vibrant individuals that often brightened the atmosphere remaining quiet…and one of them missing.

Phase one of Lucy's master plan was now to be put in motion. She had to convincingly propose to the guild at large that they needed to do their best to come up with a strong defense for Natsu's trial at the Magic Council's headquarters in Era…and that they had to do it _without_ Levy's help. She needed to make them believe that proving Natsu innocent would be the best way to get their lovable bookworm back, too, so that they didn't try to do something that would interfere with the rest of her plan. The blonde had to make them think that pressing from defending Natsu into accusing Demon Card of not only attempted murder but kidnapping as well was the best bet.

It was going to be a challenge, and thus it would be understandable if, in the time leading up to the trial, she disappeared herself for some research.

Within one week, she hoped to initiate phase two…but first, and now, came the initiation of the entire plan as a whole.

"You're not going to like this," Lucy hesitated slightly on the introduction, but everyone in the room quieted down when she began to speak. It was almost as if they had been waiting for her to come up with some sort of idea. "You're not going to like this at all…but I think we need to focus on getting Natsu back safely first."

The blonde stepped out from behind Droy, who stared at her as if she had announced that she was pregnant, or that the world was ending. She tried not to let it get to her as she took a steadying breath—making herself sound believable would be the first step in convincing everyone else. If this was truly her decision, it would be hard for her to accept, too, and even though it _wasn't_ her decision it was still hard to suggest it.

"Demon Card might have Levy, but we can assume that they won't kill her. They'll want her as bait to provoke us like they did tonight—and when you take tonight into account, it's already working."

"How does that make getting Natsu a priority?" Nab frowned uncomprehendingly at her and several others nodded their agreement.

"If we can't prove Natsu's innocence, the council _will_ sentence him to death," Lucy could definitely speak with conviction here because it was true and it hurt her to think about the possibility. "They believe that he attempted to kill a member of the Rune Knights, remember? The rank doesn't even matter, although the fact that he was a general doesn't make it any better…it's just the fact that he was a member of the military. While Demon Card needs Levy alive as bait, the council might just use Natsu as an example to any guild that crosses them."

"No one crosses them like we do," Lisanna admitted slowly, looking around at all the other guild members and then stopping when she reached Lucy with her eyes.

"Demon Card does," Lucy responded shortly when attention was back to her. There; she could see the connection being made all around her. All she had to do was continue to press forward. "If we can prove Natsu's innocence, we can surely prove Demon Card's guild. Tie them together; if it wasn't our fire mages who did it, it must have been theirs."

"Wait," Mirajane and Erza spoke simultaneously then. They glanced at each other and then Erza nodded for Mira to continue first.

"Are you saying that Demon Card…Demon Card attacked the Rune Knights on purpose?!"

They were so close to the blonde's conclusion…it would have to do.

"They could have…but the fact is that we don't know…yet. So we need to find out if we can. We'll assume, tentatively, that Natsu's trial will be in two weeks. By then, we need to at least have a good defense for him. I'll be the one presenting the case, so I'll be doing my best to find what evidence I can on my own. I'll get yours later. We can be more time-specific when we know the date of the trial. Does that work for everyone? Am I being clear enough?"

"I approve," Erza said, but then continued sternly, "but are you sure you can present? I—"

"I'll present," Lucy's voice was firm and unwavering. They could doubt her in battle all they wanted to, but they would not doubt her in this. She refused to allow it.

"Then we should all get to work," Lisanna said, a somewhat determined expression on her features.

"Yes, we'll all get to work, my children," Master Makarov's voice was loud over the chatter that had risen in the room, "but it will have to wait. First things first…you all need to go rest. We can start first thing in the morning, but the priority is that you all get some sleep."

"Master—" Jet began, but was cut off.

"Everyone is too exhausted to continue. Working now will only hinder our progress in this. Go home and go to bed, all of you. I should know the trial date by tomorrow evening, and then we can work out a more rigorous schedule. Just go to sleep for now."

"The Master is right," Evergreen spoke aloud, grudgingly. "None of us would be able to understand a damn thing we read right now, even if we wanted to."

"Except for Lucy, Levy, and Fried, maybe," Bisca chipped in, stretching her sore muscles.

"Yeah, but we're down one and the other two need to be refreshed for working hard later," Cana cut in, "so everyone should just do as Gramps said."

"You heard them," Erza's voice lifted above the others as muttering once more filled the guild. "We all go home and rest. Meet up here as you wake up tomorrow. We'll go to the library in groups in rotation to prevent anyone else from being taken by Demon Card. Am I understood?"

"Aye," Gray and Happy weren't nearly as enthusiastic as they normally would have been…which was understandable, of course. All the others slowly agreed with them and teams began to group together in preparation for departure.

Erza and Gray were caught in conversation with Mira and Lisanna, though Happy had drifted to Lucy's shoulder to rest. The blonde slowly migrated out the back door to where she knew the iron dragonslayer would already be waiting to hear the real plan. She counted on him to understand subtle messages.

"Why are we coming out here, Lucy?" Happy piped up tiredly. "Erza and Gray are inside!"

"You'll see, Happy. Don't worry about it."

The door closed softly behind them, cutting off the light that had been filtering from the open doorway. Now the only light they had was coming from the windows and streetlamps, but that was plenty to see by for their purposes.

"Took you long enough, Bunny Girl," the gruff voice of Gajeel, which Lucy had been expecting, sounded out and she found his silhouette in the dim lighting. "So tell me…how much of that plan was the real one?"

Happy's face contorted into an expression of confusion and he repeated slowly, "The 'real' one?"

"Most of it, actually," Lucy said in response to the dragonslayer's inquiry.

"Okay…but it's not even half of your whole plan, then, is it?"

Good. He was catching on just as quickly as she had been bargaining for. So Lucy leaned against the side of the building as Happy hopped to Pantherlily's side. The other Exceed's brow was furrowed in concentration as he most likely tried to puzzle out what the rest of Lucy's plan could possibly be.

"You're absolutely right," the blonde agreed. "That's not even the half of it."

"Spit it out, then."

"We _do_ need to work out a good defense for Natsu and tie it to Demon Card somehow," the celestial mage began, proceeding to slide to the ground in a sitting position. "I wasn't joking about that aspect of the plan."

"How are you going to do that when we're not allowed on the Demon Card grounds—at least until the Rune Knights leave?"

"I was getting there," Lucy retorted crossly. "See…it'll be hard to tie the crime to Demon Card if we can't even get evidence from the outside…so I was thinking that having someone on the inside would be our best bet. It would be highly beneficial to both of our causes."

"And you want Gajeel to do it?" Happy questioned.

"No…" Pantherlily guessed slowly.

"No," Lucy affirmed, shaking her head, "He'll just follow the bait. The bait will get captured and he will follow them to the Demon Card hideout. There's got to be a secret entrance—we just don't know where it is yet. From the inside, then, the bait can get information on who really attacked the Rune Knights' general while Gajeel goes back to the guild. The bait needs ample time, though, so maybe you could sneak in to get information from the bait in six hour increments?"

The last bit was directed to Gajeel, who was crouched about four feet away.

"Lemme guess…" the dragonslayer cut in before Lucy could continue with the plan. "You're going to be the bait, aren't you?"

"What?" Happy was incredulous. "Lucy wouldn't—"

"Yes, actually," the blonde cut across Happy this time, causing the blue Exceed to stare at her in surprise. She knew it—no one expected her to stick her neck out. It's no wonder that they never trusted her enough in fights.

"You have some motive, then?" Lily piped in, eyes narrowed.

Lucy slowly stood back up as she sensed the end of the conversation nearing. In the process, she nodded to Pantherlily. She straightened herself, then, to her full and rather unintimidating height.

"I believe Demon Card attacked the general of the Rune Knights directly and on purpose with the intention of framing Natsu. Why else would they have made sure that the Rune Knights made an appearance there, when fights between guilds are illegal? Someone had to have warned them or they wouldn't have shown their faces, and we know that it wasn't anyone from Fairy Tail who did it."

Gajeel and Lily both frowned similarly, deep in thought. Happy just stared at Lucy mouth agape, as he still struggled to come to terms with her decision to personally be the bait. She knew he'd understand given enough time, but he just couldn't comprehend it so soon after having Natsu ripped away from him.

"When are you getting yourself captured?"

Gajeel's question seemed to startle the Exceeds, but it was the question Lucy had been waiting. Even without her mentioning that they'd be able to save Levy in the process, not directly at any rate, Gajeel had caught on.

"Aren't you going to tell her it's too dangerous?!" Happy cried out then, eyes wide. "Natsu would!"

"Because Bunny Girl is practically his mate," the iron dragonslayer retorted. "Of course he'd try to protect her if he could…but she's sure she can do it and I'm not Natsu so I won't try to stop her."

The blonde flushed at the fact that Gajeel was already thinking of her as Natsu's mate, but she was otherwise glad that he had enough faith in her to trust her with this plan.

"Five days before Natsu's trial is when I'll get captured," Lucy came back into the conversation to get it back on track. "Four days to get the information we need and to escape with Levy after you bring the guild to the rescue…and then the last day is for travel, with the real culprit in tow. We'll go to Era to crash the trial."

She told her plan straight out, no embellishments anywhere. She neglected to mention that she was going to do some provoking and likely get injured in the process…but she knew Gajeel wasn't stupid and neither was Lily. They knew that sometimes it took some sacrifice to get what you wanted. It would take Happy longer to pick up on it, but she was pretty certain that the others had already understood the undertones of her plan.

"You're going to prepare for Salamander's defense between now and the capture date then, I assume?"

Lily's question was simple to answer; Lucy just nodded her head in acknowledgement.

"Lucy…"

"I'm sorry, Happy," and she was, she really was. She didn't want to do this to him so soon after his 'father' had been taken…but she had more. "I'm so sorry…but later on I'll have a job for you to do, too, if you're willing to help me."

"Aye," the little Exceed didn't seem too enthusiastic about it, but at least he'd agreed.

"We'll talk more later," Gajeel said suddenly, his head cocked as he listened intently. "The others inside are starting to look for you now. You'd better go before they panic and start to think you've been taken by Demon Card too."

"Thanks," Lucy nodded to Gajeel and Lily. "You two go get some sleep, okay?"

"You too," Gajeel said gruffly, turning and disappearing into the night.

"That's that," Lucy said, satisfied with the conversation's progress. Phase one was now completely finished and had passed rather smoothly; she'd been able to counter every obstacle that had tried to present itself cleanly and simply. She smiled softly then and turned to Happy with as much confidence as she could. "See there, Happy? We'll get Levy _and_ Natsu back in no time at all! Let's just go back in so we can walk back to my apartment with the others, yeah?"

"S-sure…" Happy was hesitant to agree but he let himself rise to her shoulders as she reached to let herself into the building. They were entering from the bathroom hallway, so she could say she had gone to the bathroom…that could excuse her absence.

"Lucy?" Erza's voice rose a bit from deeper in the guild and the girl in question immediately had a twinge of guilt for worrying the requip mage. Lucy still felt accomplished and excited for the plan she had set in motion, though, so she didn't let her guilt overshadow that.

"Lucy!"

Gray's voice was exceptionally more relived and when the blonde actually paid attention she realized that he was headed down the hallway toward her. Relief was etched in every feature of his face and another momentary twinge of regret passed through the celestial mage before she thought about the bigger picture gain.

"Lucy, you were starting to worry us! Why didn't you say anything?!"

"Oh…sorry. The water, you know…"

Thankfully, the bathroom was empty and just behind her, so it didn't seem too ridiculous of her to gesture at it as though she had just emerged.

"The bathroom…? First Levy, then Natsu…we were worried, Lucy."

_You don't have to remind me, Gray. Don't you think I know?_ Lucy wanted to say it out loud, but she refrained. Instead she said, meekly and sheepishly, "I know…I'm sorry…"

"No, no, don't worry about it. As long as you're okay, it's fine!"

"There you are!" Erza's voice sounded relieved this time. Before she could begin to scold Lucy, though, Gray covered for the blonde.

"She was just in the bathroom, Erza. False alarm."

The redhead breathed a sigh of relief.

"Well then…shall we all go back to Lucy's apartment now? We all could use the rest. We all need it."

"Yeah," Lucy agreed, and she wasn't lying when she said, "I'm completely exhausted."

"Aye," Happy piped up, lazily flopping over Lucy's shoulder like a sack of potatoes. The fact that Happy was sticking to her so closely made the blonde wonder if she might just be the next most important person to him, after Natsu. If that was the case, it was an honor of sorts…but it also made her realize just how much Natsu meant to everyone…not just to her.

"Let's go," Gray said, turning to the door. Erza strode boldly across the room ahead of the others and they all followed after, slipping outside and staying as close together as was possibly without being awkward or tripping over each other.

The quartet stuck together as they left the guild unwilling to lose another comrade in such a short time. There was no chatter between them on the way to Lucy's home; just stony silence as each contemplated his or her own thoughts on the events of the day.

* * *

**Holy shiizzzzzzle. I'm so sorry. I've had this chapter written for quite a while, but then I lost the notebook. I finally found it and typed it and it's three in the morning and I'm supposed to help a friend study for the French final in like, seven hours and I need sleep but here I am.**

**I hope this chapter meets expectations! It's kind of short…but I might be keeping chapters for this story shorter. It makes it easier to update when I have time.**

**Also…this is kind of a filler chapter, but it sets the plot in motion…sort of. The last chapter was the kicker but this one pushes it onward.**

**ANYWHO. Thank you so much for reading and again, I'm sorry for the late update!**


	5. The 'First' Charge

**In which a college student with a headache on winter break decides to try to update.**

**Anyway, sorry it's been so tough for me to update lately. I move back into my dorm in ten days and I can't promise new chapters before then. If I update any time during the semester, it will be rare. Telling me to update won't change that.**

**Please be patient with me!**

**On with the story now.**

* * *

Natsu groaned, rolling over onto his side. Where was he and why was his bed so damn hard right now? It just didn't make any sense…until, of course, he remembered that he was in Era's prison cells. At the headquarters of the Magic Council, where he was to be put on trial for an attempted murder that he didn't even do—not that anyone here believed him.

It was the second day in here and all he could think about was Lucy. Was she okay after the Rune Knights had taken her away? Was she sad about it? He really hoped she wasn't crying because tears just didn't suit his celestial mage. No…Lucy Heartfilia looked much better when she was happy and her smile made him want to just hold her in the circle of his arms forever. When she was crying it was like everything good was gone from the world—unless they were tears of joy.

But if she was crying now he knew they wouldn't be tears of joy.

"Dammit," Natsu grumbled to the ceiling, returning to lying on his back. "Why did this have to happen now?"

Yeah…why did it all have to be _now?_ When he and Lucy had finally…well, he at least had finally revealed his feelings to her. Natsu hadn't really meant to kiss her, but the way she lunged for him, and the feeling that somehow he wouldn't make it out of it all…he just had to let her know. And it seemed like she was trying to do the same thing. Even if he couldn't bring himself to tell her in words, he had to make sure she had some idea. She was smart and so he was hoping she'd pick up on it.

"Lucy…" he murmured into the crook of his arm as it lay across his face. The light was coming in between the bars of his cell and he wasn't particularly in the mood to see it. How could the sun shine so brightly when everything he felt was stormy and in turmoil?

He was pretty sure of it now. This feeling, now that he was being kept so far from Lucy, made him certain of it. His nakama…his best friend in the entire world when you didn't count Happy because he was more like a son anyway…that easily angered, whiny, blonde-haired girl he'd brought to Fairy Tail with him after destroying Hargeon's harbor for the umpteenth time…Natsu was pretty sure he was in love with her. It was a really weird thing for him to think about but he didn't have anything better to consider when he was sitting in a cell here.

How did he reach this conclusion?

It had been coming on gradually for months now. First he felt this fierce protectiveness when it came to Lucy—a protectiveness that was different from what he showed for everyone else in the guild. He was protective of all the members of Fairy Tail, but Lucy was different. She was more important than anyone. And then there were the dates she went on—always with the worst sort of guys. He couldn't help but trail her to make sure nothing happened.

That one guy who got a bit too touchy-feely totally _didn't_ end up with scorched eyebrows and clothes after she got away from him…not at _all_….

And whenever they were apart…he was realizing this now more than ever. If he and Lucy were apart for too long he started to pine for her company. It didn't matter that she could get whiny sometimes. He just wanted to be with her.

And then…they kissed. When the Rune Knights were struggling to keep them apart, somehow Lucy had managed to reach him and they had both leaned in to meet in the middle.

Natsu wasn't sure how to feel about it all. He was still pretty certain he loved her, and he had a strong impression that she at least felt something for him, but now? Now was a terrible time to find out. He couldn't spend time with her and find out, or ask her plain and simple, when he was rotting away in a jail cell.

The dragonslayer groaned again, sitting up slowly and looking towards the barred window.

"Oi, Salamander," a taunting voice said from outside his cell. He turned to look out of the bars that crossed the entire front of his cell to spot the owner of the voice. It was a middle-aged man with a hooked nose, gaunt features, and a petulant expression perpetually etched on his features. "How are you holding up in there?"

He snorted, tapping a tray with his foot.

Natsu's meal. Just as they'd done with the last three meals, it was sitting outside of his cell on the ground, far beyond his reach. It didn't exactly look appetizing, so he knew he wasn't missing much in that aspect. But Natsu knew perhaps better than they did just what nourishment can do for you. There was only so much a starving mage could accomplish, let alone a starving mage in a jail cell in Era whose guards had beaten him before throwing him in.

His ribs, he knew, were at least bruised and he was lucky none of them were fractured. No matter how he tried to sleep it hurt, and since he didn't really have much to do he'd spent his day and a half so far thinking of Lucy and sleeping.

"It gets better every minute," Natsu flashed a sarcastically cheerful grin at the man. "I get to deal with your face _and_ I get to escape that slop they expect me to eat. What more could I ask for?"

_I just want to see Lucy_.

"How about the charges?" Another guard came into view, twirling the key ring on his index finger. "C'mon, they're giving you the first of your charges today."

Natsu didn't know what they meant by _the first of_, but he didn't like the sound of it. So they weren't only going to charge him with attempted murder of the general? Or was that just the first charge? Were they going to charge him with conspiracy at the end of it or some nonsense like that?

As the cell opened he stood up wearily. Everything still hurt from the battle with Demon Card as well as the beating he'd taken at the hands of these men, but he didn't fight back. Natsu Dragneel had done some serious growing up in the last several months. The dragonslayer now fully understood why he couldn't try to blow his way out of here and go back to Fairy Tail even though he knew the charge was false. He knew fighting back was pointless because it would only put him deeper in this hole he hadn't even dug himself into.

"Get out there," yet another guard, a beefy man with anger issues, had come into the cell and shoved him roughly against the open door before shoving him out into the hall. The first man then pinned him against the stone wall forcefully and painfully as the second man yanked his arms down to cuff them behind his back. He already wore magic inhibiting bracelets and anklets, but his reputation ensured that he was stuck in cuffs when taken out, too. They knew he was good at physical combat, too.

Once cuffed, they proceeded to lead him—or, rather, shove him and yank him—to their destination. It was a small courtroom, not meant for a very large audience. The audience that was present consisted of mostly Rune Knights, too, if his bet was on the money.

The dragonslayer didn't pay much attention to the useless stuff they said. All he cared about was hearing about this charge. What in Fiore were they charging him with when he hadn't done anything wrong? If they'd just look at the color of his flames, they'd understand that it couldn't have possibly been him. But they wouldn't let him use magic because they thought he would try to kill them all.

"Natsu Dragneel," the pompous voice of the person who was going to read the charges broke into the salmon-haired man's train of thought and he looked up to pay close attention. "Salamander of Fairy Tail, on behalf of the Rune Knights, you are hereby charged with willfully injuring if not attempting to murder five lesser-ranking Rune Knights that were standing near their General. How do you plead?"

Of course he was supposed to say he was guilty…but he wasn't. Stubbornly refusing to answer, as he was sorely tempted to do, would only get him in deeper shit. He knew that.

"Not guilty."

He wasn't guilty and as long as he—no, as long as Lucy—knew that, he didn't really care who else believed him. His nakama surely all believed him, but the only one he didn't want to think of him as a murderer was Lucy. He didn't care if Erza came after him thinking he'd murdered someone, just as long as Lucy didn't think he was one.

He knew she would never think that of him, but it would still be more comforting if she was there to tell him that.

"What?"

The man seemed incredulous at Natsu's prompt answer.

"I said I'm not guilty," the dragonslayer repeated himself, even though he was sure it was only a rhetorical sort of 'what'. "My fire's not blue. Ask anyone."

He knew better than to ask them to let him use his magic. They'd probably just say that he was using that in an attempt to kill the judge and make an escape. The way these places worked completely baffled him and it was annoying, but Natsu would deal with it for now. He kind of had to. He still didn't know when the date for his actual trial would be, and so he didn't know how long Lucy would have to try to find some way to get him out. She was determined though—he could tell by the look in her eyes. Even though they'd already been dragged pretty far apart by the time she'd vowed to return his scarf when she proved his innocence, he could still tell that she was determined.

_I just have to wait for Lucy_, he told himself. Everything would be fine when Lucy got there with his defense all worked out.

In the meantime, as Natsu thought about the possibilities of a defense by his guild, the court was deliberating on his plea. He didn't know how long these things usually took, but by the time he got out of his train of thought to look at the clock he realized he'd been there for forty-five minutes already. The small court of people was still busy conferring. By the few snatches he could catch with his better-than-average hearing, there were a few people on his side.

From the tone of voice used by the one who seemed to be the head honcho, he assumed that those who supported him would _not_ be present for the real trial. This was probably a test run to see who was on his side.

* * *

Two hours later, no decision had been reached. They were taking their own sweet time in this deliberation. At the end of the two hours, they called it an impasse and ordered that Natsu be returned to his cell to await further notice.

The same methods used to cart him to the courtroom were used on the way back. Natsu was shoved roughly into the wall on more occasions than he bothered to count, once even being forcibly tripped to where he clipped his temple on a random suit of armor and started to bleed lightly. And still, if he wanted to keep his hope of making it out because of some kind of defense Lucy formed, he couldn't fight back. If he fought back, they'd take it as proof that he really did try to commit murder.

When the dragonslayer was finally shoved back into his cell after an agonizing and seemingly long walk back to his cell, he fell to the ground. From there, his already bruised sides and ribs were dealt a few more good kicks and his arms were wrenched back unnecessarily in order to have the cuffs removed. Once that was done, there was one more good kick to his shoulder, which popped awkwardly, and then the guards left him to his solitude.

The pain wasn't a cakewalk, but he'd had much worse.

He just had to hold out until his trial, when Fairy Tail would undoubtedly pull out all the stops to get him out if they possibly could. He just hoped they wouldn't do anything too rash in order to prove him innocent or try to get him out. After all, _he_ was the irrational one. It wouldn't do for anyone to go stealing his thunder.

And Lucy…he just hoped that Gray and Erza could keep her from the clutches of Demon Card. Someone from that damn dark guild had undoubtedly seen the kiss between them—what if they went after her next?

_Please be safe_…

* * *

**Well…it's short but there was only so much I could do with mostly Natsu's point of view when he doesn't really have anyone to talk to in prison. It's probably repetitive in a few places and for that I apologize. I typed this up with only a few paragraphs to reference.**

**Anyway, I hope this was an okay chapter. It's mostly a filler, trying to establish some of the things on Natsu's end of the deal.**

**Thanks so much for reading!**

**And again, telling me to UPDATE SOON does **_**NOT**_** help. Thanks.**


	6. The First Phase

**Greetings, my lovely readers. It's been a while, has it not?**

**Anywho, I just got out of college for the summer and am applying for jobs, so I still might not be able to update as often as I did whilst still in high school, but I'll try. This is a long overdue update for FtF, which may or may not be up to the standards I have set for myself. I've got to work on getting back into the flow.**

**So…wish me luck and here we go!**

* * *

"_What?!_" Lucy was fairly certain that her voice had risen a few octaves the next morning when Master Makarov delivered the news. She certainly hadn't been expecting something like that—not even from the council, who had been known to look down upon Fairy Tail at various points in the past.

"It's as I said," the guild master stated solemnly, his brow furrowed in frustration. "Even I didn't expect…"

"Of course not!" Lucy threw her hands up, a few papers they'd been using to build a case sliding out and scattering into the air. "It's unprecedented, except in actual murder cases where there's no doubt they've got the right criminal in custody! And it's completely ridiculous! Why would they set the trial for _five days from now_?!"

Everyone else was feeling the pressure, too, but Lucy felt it even more acutely than they. It would have been plenty difficult to put together a convincing case in the two weeks they'd been expecting to have; now they had less than a week to do so. That was the problem everyone else was finding with the Council's abrupt trial. The only others who knew exactly why Lucy was so upset were two exceeds and a big, intimidating iron dragonslayer because they were finding the exact same problem.

"Lucy…" Mira seemed more downtrodden than she had ever seemed, and it wasn't helping anything.

"There's nothing we can do but put together as good a case as we can in the time we have," was the grudgingly proposed form of action, uttered by Master Makarov himself. Lucy was partially indignant that he wasn't as angry about the Council's decision as she was, but she supposed he just had more self-control.

He wasn't just acknowledging that he was head-over-heels for Natsu like she was.

"Then we need to get to work," said Gray, an unusual seriousness about him that seeped into everyone else. "I'll go to the library and see if any of the newspapers from the past couple of months have anything important we missed. Who's coming with me?"

With that, people began to break into groups to do their research to help put the case together, and Lucy, still silently fuming and trying to work a new plan out as quickly as possible, slipped away to a more secluded place. In a back room of the upper floor where she usually wasn't permitted to go, she slid down to the ground and touched her forehead to her knees. The cogs in her head were turning just as fast as they possibly could in order to work out some scenario that could get her captured by Demon Card within the next 12 hours.

She was on the verge of tears, but she didn't have time for trivial things like that.

* * *

Lucy tapped her foot impatiently, waiting for Gajeel to show up. They had to finalize a few plans before the guild really filled up. The less people there were in the building the fewer people would be situated near Gajeel's little corner. They still tended to keep their distance from him, despite all the trust he'd amassed among them, so it would be better for them to talk when no one was there to interrupt. Happy was with Lisanna for the time being and would be filled in by Lily after everything was decided. All that remained was for the iron dragonslayer to show up and they could set everything in motion.

The blonde checked the clock: six fifteen. She'd been sitting there, waiting, for fifteen minutes now. She was restless. Since the incident just a few hours ago, in which Master Makarov announced that Natsu's trial was in just five short days, everyone had been on edge and no one could stay in one place for very long. All the other members of the guild were out and about, researching and tracking down clues—anything to help Natsu's case. Lucy, however, had been left to her own devices; they trusted her to come up with something.

At six twenty, Gajeel was supposed to meet her so they could talk over the plan so she could get going—tonight.

Five more minutes, then. She could survive waiting that long, couldn't she?

_Tap, tap, tap._

Her toes barely touched the floor, but in the mostly empty guild hall the sound seemed magnified a hundred times. She found herself stopping when she realized people were looking at her, but subconsciously she began tapping her toes again a few moments later.

Four more minutes.

_Tap, tap, tap._

Mira came over and placed a hand on Lucy's shoulder, startling her into looking up. The sad, understanding blue eyes searched her face for a moment before Mirajane offered Lucy a weak smile and a cup of hot coffee.

"A teaspoon of milk and two sugar cubes, just how you like it," the white-haired woman said gently. "I know you're waiting for Gajeel, but be patient. He'll be here soon and you can talk to him about whatever you need to talk about. Okay?"

The celestial mage took a slow, tiny sip of the steaming coffee to buy time to formulate her answer.

"Yeah…I know. I just can't help it."

Again, Mira smiled a weak smile that didn't reach her eyes. "I know."

She floated away, back to the bar, and Lucy wrapped both of her hands around her coffee mug. At least this would distract her for now. After all, if she tapped her foot she risked spilling it all over herself and that was never what anyone planned on they could help it.

Three minutes.

_Five days_. There were only five days for Fairy Tail to amass enough information to clear Natsu's name and turn the blame onto the real culprit from Demon Card. Five days in which Lucy needed to be captured, draw out the information she needed, and get out with the offender in tow to cart him off to Era.

The blonde was upset. She knew that she couldn't be too obvious when she went out to be captured. If she wasn't careful, they'd know she was bait and may not take her…and they certainly wouldn't let anything slip while around her even if they did kidnap her. She needed them to be at ease, free to talk about their plans around her—she needed them to believe that there was no possible way she could be rescued before whatever verdict was exacted on the innocent dragonslayer they had framed.

There had to be _some way_ she could manage it all…

_Tap, tap, tap_.

Two minutes.

Lucy took a long draught of her coffee to try to calm herself. Gajeel would be there—a few minutes late shouldn't matter much. But, alas, to a woman in a mindset like the celestial mage's current one, a few minutes late was the difference between life and death.

She knew it was irrational—of course she did. She was Lucy Heartfilia, a vivacious, curvy blonde mage who prided herself on her intellect, so of _course_ she knew how irrational it was. But she was also finally accepting the fact that she was in love, and everyone should know by now that love is an irrational thing. It makes fools out of the greatest thinkers…but it made a determined savior out of her.

Another swig, three more impatient taps of her foot…

_Tap, tap, tap._

One minute.

Her mind was awhirl with different thoughts and fears—what if she couldn't succeed in time? Would she fail at putting together a worthy case with whatever time she had between capturing the culprit and getting him to Era? What if, even when faced with substantial evidence against Demon Card and in Natsu's favor, the Council still considered him guilty? What if they executed Natsu?

_Tap, tap, tap_.

Six twenty, and Gajeel had yet to return from scouting out possible clues with Jet, Droy, Wakaba, and Macao.

The blonde told herself to calm down. Thinking irrationally wouldn't do anything to help her now. She had to continue considering the possibilities open to her—she had to keep planning her own capture and the means through which she'd acquire the information she needed once in the grasp of Demon Card. Gajeel being five minutes delayed shouldn't have much effect on that. Whatever the case may be, she would _still_ be sure that she was taken tonight.

"It's fine," she murmured to herself, taking another long draught of her warm coffee. "A few minutes won't make that much difference."

She sincerely hoped they wouldn't, at least. And that hope was what was keeping her going. Lucy had to stay positive—not only for herself or for Mira or anyone else at Fairy Tail, but for Natsu and Levy who needed her calm and level-headed more than anyone.

She _had_ to stay positive.

_Tap, tap, tap_.

"Wait long, Bunny Girl?" a gruff voice asked from behind a few painstakingly long moments later. Six twenty-seven.

"Not too much…" she lied, putting her already empty second cup of coffee down on the table. "Did you guys find anything out while you were scouring the town?" Lucy's hand trailed through the air, gesturing around them to imply the entire city of Magnolia.

"Nothing new," Gajeel grunted, plopping down on the bench across from her. A glance around showed that there weren't very many members in the building right now, and those who were present seemed fairly preoccupied at the moment. Just as Lucy had planned for and expected—it made planning easier because she and Gajeel didn't have to sneak around in random places. "So…the plan?"

"I've finally put all the pieces together, I think," the blonde leaned in a little and spoke in a low tone. With the current feeling of the guild, anyone observing would think she just didn't want to disturb the stale silence permeating the building. "I need to get captured by Demon Card sometime tonight."

The iron dragonslayer furrowed his brow just slightly—it was always furrowed, and only someone like Lucy or Levy could really tell what his emotions were at any given time—before he put his elbows on the table and leaned forward just slightly to ask, "Tonight? Ain't that almost too fast, Bunny Girl?"

"We've only got five days until Natsu's trial," Lucy pointed out.

"You've got a point there…"

"I know," Lucy rubbed her forehead with a sigh. "That means I've only got five days to get taken, find out where Levy is, and then find out who's responsible for all of this. Actually, I've really only got four days to get all of that done if I want to get to the trial before they wrongly convict Natsu. Are you still willing to help me? I've got an important task that I think you're best for."

The gruff man raised one eyebrow inquisitively and said, "What makes you think I'm best for whatever job you've got in mind?"

"All the recon you did for Master Makarov where Raven Tail was concerned, that's what," the blonde said with no embellishment. "You played Ivan quite well…I don't think he realized you were ever a double agent until the tournament."

"So you want me to pretend to be a traitor to Fairy Tail and join them? I hate to break it to you, but I don't think that'll work for us again."

"That's not it," Lucy shook her head. "I want you to follow them when they take me—in secret—find out where they're keeping Levy so you can get her out first when the time comes. If he'll consent to it, have Lily nearby at all times so you can go tell him the information you've gathered. He can go tell Happy. If the situation turns to the bad, I want you to get Levy out and get back. She'll be able to handle Natsu's case even if I can't get out."

Both eyebrows went up at that. "You're willing to sacrifice yourself for this?"

"More than."

"Heh. You've got a lot of determination, Bunny Girl, I'll give ya that."

"So…you'll help me?"

Gajeel rolled his shoulders and showed his teeth in a feral grin. "Finish telling me the plan. You just tell me what I've gotta do and I'll do it."

Lucy grinned and said, "That's what I was hoping to hear. So sometime tonight, around ten, I want you to trail me when I leave the guild. I'll go out of town, into the forest, with my bag and everything. I'll pretend I'm going on a solo job. I have a feeling that Demon Card is watching us, thinking we'll try something more, so when they see me go out alone, especially after the scene with Natsu in front of their headquarters," here she was referring to the kiss they had shared, and though her cheeks grew warm she forged on, "they'll want to take me no matter what so that I can't testify in Natsu's favor."

Gajeel looked skeptical, and Lucy completely understood.

"I know it's not foolproof, trust me on that," the celestial mage sighed, glancing toward the bar where Mira was still wiping down the counter. "It's just speculation, but everyone has been careful about traveling in pairs so if they're still in for kidnapping our members, they'll jump at the chance. It's even possible that they'll want to frame someone else, so taking me and leaving evidence for Fairy Tail is their best attempt at getting the whole guild to come at them again. But I want you to try your best to hide the evidence and maybe even get Happy to tell them I'm researching at my apartment and refusing to see anyone until I'm done. It'll keep them from getting too frantic for at least two days, maybe three."

The dragonslayer remained silent, brow furrowed in thought. Lucy waited a moment for what she'd said to sink in more thoroughly before taking the initiative to continue.

"While I'm there, if I get taken like I hope to be, you'll find out where they're keeping Levy and I, and we can pass you information. I'll also ask you to gather information and pass it to both of us, so that regardless of whether my plan works or not, someone knows everything and can continue to work on making Natsu's case. Can you promise me you'll do that? And that you'll get Levy out at least if something takes a turn?"

"Yeah, I can do that," he growled in response. Lucy had known better than to hear him say he'd _promise_, because that just wasn't the kind of word that she expected to be in his vocabulary, but this was exactly what she'd hoped for. It was his word, and it was as good as a promise. The dragonslayer then asked her, "What's your plan? What are you going to do inside? There can't be much someone can do when they're being held captive."

Somehow, she'd been expecting this question.

"I'll listen to guards, ask some questions. As a captive, they may not view me as much of a threat. Sometimes, tongues are looser when the adversary believes there's no reason to be on their guard. I think they underestimate Fairy Tail, to some degree. I'm not sure they realize that we'll go even farther than a full-scale assault when our nakama are in danger. It's not guaranteed I'll get what I need from that, but hopefully I'll at least hear something about it."

"Then there's no guarantee the Council'll take your word for it. Didja think of that one?"

Lucy grimaced and looked at the wooden tabletop. "I don't like to think about it, but yes, I have considered that possibility. Which is why, if I figure something out, I will try to confront the person responsible for framing Natsu around midnight on the last night. If you can get Happy to bring the guild then, and lead the charge when they get here, I hope to be done by two o'clock. From there, we'll go immediately to the train station and to Era. That should put us an hour before Natsu's trial. Since the train ride is roughly eight hours long, it'll also give Levy and I time to build the case for him."

"So, basically, you want Happy to get everyone to come to the Demon Card hideout around midnight the morning of the idiot's trial? A surprise attack in the middle of the night?"

"Yes. First focus on getting to Levy. That's key, just in case something happens to me in my confrontation with whoever's responsible for all of this. Is that clear, Gajeel? I need you to promise me that you'll make sure Levy gets out safely. Just say that you can do it, and it'll fine."

"I can. I _will_."

"Good," I smiled, feeling relieved. The fact that Gajeel had agreed so easily made me want to cry out in relief, but I held myself in check. I couldn't be weak in any way at the moment—the lives of two of my nakama could rest on these next few days. "That's the gist of my plan. If anything else comes up while I'm captured, I'll let you know if you can get to me to relay messages and information. Does that sound reasonable to you?"

"It's crazy," he grunted, glancing up to make sure we were still isolated from everyone else—as if he needed to, with his dragonslayer senses. "It's so crazy it might work. I'll do what I can to help ya, Bunny Girl."

He grinned again, but it was a more subdued grin than the 'try me' sort of grin he wore earlier. Lucy knew that the idea of saving Levy was probably part of why he was more serious. Even if he didn't say it, he was attracted to her, and at least Lucy and Mira could tell.

"I'll see you later, then," Lucy reached to shake his hand and after looking at her curiously, the dragonslayer consented to take her hand and shake. As she stood to walk away, she tossed over her shoulder, "We'll save them both. You'll see."

"I'll be waitin' for it, then," he retorted, reclining where he sat.

The blonde celestial mage made her way to the bar with a bag she'd been carrying—in it were all of her materials for the case. She was going to 'forget' it here later tonight, but for now…she sat down at a stool, pulled out her books, newspapers, and the case she'd been building, and started to work.

Just because the main phase of her _real_ plan was about to start didn't mean she could just go easy with this part of it.

* * *

"Maaaan!" Lucy stretched her arms out, standing on the edge of Magnolia in the dim lighting as the sun went down. It was already just a few minutes past nine and the sun was about to set…and Lucy? A light travel bag was slung across her shoulder and she was about to make her way into the forest. She fervently hoped her plan would work and that Demon Card would seize the opportunity to grab her while she was seemingly 'alone'. "It's so nice out…and the guild has been so stifling. But…this is a quick job. I can get it done and get back to help with Natsu's case by tomorrow morning!"

The dialogue may have been unnecessary, but she thought it might help. Mentioning that they were attempting to build a case for Natsu, very subtly implying that they wouldn't be able to do much without her there…it could be what made them take her even if they weren't planning on taking someone else.

The blonde rolled her shoulders, made sure her bag was secure on her shoulder, and strode towards the trees. There was no time like the present, and she was hoping for them to come to her soon. She had no guarantees that they'd come and take her, there was no certainty…but she had hope. She knew she was doing what was right, no matter how risky it could turn out being for her in the end. it was for her nakama, for Natsu, and she'd do anything to help them, even if it meant being taken captive by the cruel dark guild that had taken Levy from them and framed her favorite dragonslayer.

_Now is not the time to have doubts, Lucy, _she scolded herself, _you can do this! They'll come for you, just be patient! You might have to go pretty deep into the woods before they find it safe enough…_

But then the blonde changed her thought—they had taken Levy in broad daylight right from under their noses. What would stop them from taking Lucy at the edge of the forest if they were going to take her? And, unbidden, the doubts flooded through her. She shook her head violently and forced the thought, the doubt, from her mind.

_They'll be more cautious now that they know Fairy Tail is on their guard…_

That had to be it. She had to believe that was it, or she'd lose her courage. And she couldn't afford to lose herself now, not when she was so close, not when she was finally putting her true plan into action.

"These trees are creepy in the dark," she mused aloud. "But the job did say that I needed to be out here when it was getting dark…so here I am! I've gotta make the most of it!"

Maybe hearing her talk, hearing her sound kind of fearful, would make Demon Card nab her. And it would alert Gajeel to where she was, even if he couldn't see her. With his super hearing, he should know where she was, and if someone else was in the forest, too.

"If it's so creepy out here, then why'd you come out all alone, _Lucy_?"

The blonde jumped and made a small sound in her throat involuntarily, spinning to see where the voice had come from. In the dim lighting, she could make out a man leaning against a nearby magnolia tree.

"He's right," this was a woman's voice, coming from the direction Lucy had just been facing. "And besides…isn't your guild using the buddy system right now…?"

"W-who are you?" Lucy forced herself to stutter a little. She'd spotted the top half of the Demon Card symbol on what was exposed of the man's chest. It was on his right pectoral muscle, just like Gray's was. "How do you know that?"

"Never mind us. We're using the buddy system, just like you…but wait. Where's _your_ buddy, Lucy? You seem to be alone. What if someone comes…" Lucy gasped—the man disappeared before her eyes—"and tries to take you away?"

The last part was right in her ear, and a knife was pressed to her throat.

"W-what are you doing?"

"Isn't it obvious, doll?" the woman said in a condescending tone, stepping into view.

"Demon Card!" Lucy bit out, struggling against the man. If she made it too easy, after all, they may suspect something was up. So she threw his arm away and stumbled back, fumbling for her keys as she did so. She didn't expect to have time to call Loke out, but she'd already told him the plan just in case. He wasn't happy, but he'd grudgingly agreed that it was her best bet.

"Ah-ah-ah!" The man disappeared again and a jingle made Lucy turn away from the woman. A few feet away he stood, her key ring dangling from his index finger. As she looked, he started to twirl it around his finger. "That just won't do. Now…why don't you come quietly?"

"What have you done with Levy?!" Lucy demanded, stalling just to be certain Gajeel knew something was happening. "Why did you frame Natsu?"

"Do you honestly think you're in a position to ask us questions?" the woman scoffed. She reached into a pouch at her belt and pulled out a crystal bottle filled with a liquid that Lucy couldn't identify. "I guess there's no other choice…can I knock her out, Ty?"

"Be my guest," the man motioned her on, smiling smugly.

"What? Don't think I'll just lie down and let you win!" Lucy cried, reaching for her whip. Her hand had barely grazed the handle when the Demon Card woman made her move.

"Take a whiff of this, doll," she was closer than Lucy had remembered and had uncorked the little phial. She lunged forward, grabbed the back of Lucy's neck, and held the opening of her bottle to the blonde's nose. "It's my special perfume. I call it _chlorofume_…works just like chloroform."

Yes, Lucy could see that. Her head was feeling light and her knees started to give way.

"Don't worry. We'll take _good_ care of you…_fairy_."

And that was all Lucy heard.

* * *

**I'm not sure that the whole capture scene worked as well as I would have liked, but it's better than I thought I would be able to come with. I had such a block on this chapter every time I opened it up to type! It was so depressing…but I'm hoping I've created something that you enjoyed reading.**

**ALSO, PLEASE NOTICE: I once promised to reply to all reviews I received, and I'll do my best to reply to new reviews this summer, but I'm afraid all reviews prior to this update will have to go unanswered. You might not believe it, but I think that I amassed over a hundred reviews while at school and though I had time to look at them all, I couldn't reply. I apologize, and for any of you who reviewed and aren't getting direct replies, **_**thank you so much**_**! I'm glad you're reading, and as long as you reply to some kind of update this summer, I'll do my best to get back to you!**

**In the meantime, I'll be trying to update my other stories before I start work in the next week or so. Please be patient with me! I'll do my best to write in whatever free time I may get! My job, however, will be ten hours a day at least four days a week, though quite possibly five or six for a while. Please forgive me!**


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